AFL umpire Ray Chamberlain says a free kick can be awarded if a player is knocked to the ground after disposing the ball.
It comes after a controversial downfield free kick was awarded to Carlton in Saturday night’s thrilling four-point win over Fremantle when young Docker Andrew Brayshaw made late contact with Sam Docherty as the Blues co-captain’s kick sailed out of bounds on the full.
Jack Newnes took the resulting free kick – another contentious decision given Michael Gibbons was the closest player – and slotted the match-winning goal after the siren from a tight angle.
Speaking on SEN’s Whateley, Chamberlain said the player looking to apply a defensive action has a “duty of care” to not knock the opposing player to the ground once he releases the ball - regardless of whether the contact is high or not.
“The guy kicking the football can’t protect himself, so the onus is on the player who is going to make the defensive pressure to either get there as he’s kicking the football or before he’s kicked it," Chamberlain explained.
“If he doesn’t he’s got a duty of care to not knock him to ground.
“It doesn’t have to be high contact or prohibiting nature like a swinging arm or something like that.
“A free after disposal - you’re not permitted to be knocked to ground when you’ve kicked the ball away. You can’t defend yourself and by virtue of that the rules allow you to be protected once you’ve disposed of the football.
“In that instance, the umpire needs to assess: Was the player there tackling, smothering etc in a reasonable time and manner as the player was in the act of disposing, or, was he late?
“If he’s late and he makes contact a free after disposal can be applied, and that’s the judgement decision an umpire has to make on each of those occasions.”