Uncontested play was responsible for the extraordinarily low number of free kicks paid on Queen's Birthday Monday rather than the free kicks being responsible for the tedious hands-off play, according to the AFL umpires.
In a frank assessment of the umpires’ form this season, director of umpiring Wayne Campbell gave ground, conceding errors in games - notably Carlton's loss to Geelong last Friday night - and umpires routinely informed clubs of a renewed focus on various rules.
Melbourne coach Paul Roos deflected criticism of the club’s style of play in the match against Collingwood on Monday by blaming umpires’ reluctance to pay free kicks for the dull spectacle. There were only 18 frees paid, with Melbourne receiving just five.
''I was at the game on Monday,'' Campbell said. "I think there were 240 uncontested marks, or something like that. The ball is in a really uncontested manner in a fair proportion of the game.
''We had 18 free kicks in that game ... yet we had 52 [free kicks paid] the night before. [AFL umpires' coach] Hayden [Kennedy] coaches the umpires to coach the game that is in front of them; one was a really contested game and one was quite open, so that is where the free kicks were.
''There were two unwarranted frees and five missed free kicks [on Monday], so we think in reviewing the game there should have been 20 free kicks paid. We were happy with the way the umpires umpired the game.
''Given the style of the game, given the game that was put in front of the umpires, we think we umpired the game really well.''
The free for holding the ball against Melbourne's Christian Salem in the first quarter, when he was brought to ground without prior opportunity and players piled on top of him, should have been a ball up. And the Bernie Vince goal for the Demons that was recalled should have been allowed to stand.
Campbell reiterated his disappointment at some decisions on Friday night that he said affected the Carlton-Geelong game.
He said the failure to pay a free kick to Troy Menzel (Carlton) close to goal in the final minutes was an error, but one due to the umpire not having a clear view of the incident. And the central umpire plainly erred in not recalling a centre bounce from which a short chain of play culminated in a Geelong goal.
''The game on Friday night, we were disappointed with some of the decisions that were made which impacted the game - that is certainly not what we are about,'' Campbell said.
He said umpires had recently had a renewed focus on holding the ball, and he believed either the umpires had subtly shifted in policing it, or players had slightly altered how they behaved.
''When I came into the job I spoke to the coaches and [clubs] said they want to know if we have a particular focus area, and probably every two weeks we [email to the clubs] just what the coaching session has been.
"Last week it was holding the ball. We clarified what we are coaching. On the weekend there were some incidents that we got wrong, [so] now [the clubs] need further clarification ... but it highlights that if you get it wrong it will be an error. but there could be 18 others where we got it right.
''I understand where the confusion comes from and we are trying the best we can to consistently coach the umpires.''
Campbell said on average there were three fewer free kicks a game this season compared with last year, and 50-metre penalties were down.
