SEN host Dwayne Russell has issued a passionate plea to the AFL regarding the state of the score review system in 2024.
According to The Age, in 2024, goal umpires have been told by the AFL to call for reviews any time the ball travels close to goal posts or if there’s any doubt that the ball has crossed the line.
While this move is based on trying to ensure the right call is made, fans are beginning to get fed up with how the score review system is delaying games.
Russell urged the AFL to instead let score review officials do their jobs in the ARC and inform umpires to hold up play if a decision needs to be analysed on their way to the centre.
“The game is being dragged down by the new, clunky, delaying, review system,” Russell said on SEN Afternoons.
“Everyone knows it. The review system stinks at the moment. It's the biggest stink in the game right now.
“But it has an easy fix. If it's a goal, the goal umpire just signals ‘goal’ and the crowd goes wild and then it's checked on the way back to the centre.
“Let's go back to that if we can please AFL, if you're listening Laura (Kane) or if you're listening Andrew (Dillon).
“Can we just go back to where the goal that's called a goal by the umpire gets checked on the way back to the centre?
“That’s not when the umpire talks to the field umpire and says, ‘I'm going to give it a goal’ (before reviewing anyway).”
On top of the delays, Russell thinks that it’s taking moments of excitement away from fans who aren’t cheering for goals with umpires calling for reviews on occasions even when they believe goals have been kicked.
“Just stick your two fingers up,” Russell said.
“You're robbing the game of excitement when the ball goes through and the goal umpire thinks it's a goal.
“Just call it a goal, stick your fingers up so the whole crowd in the moment can go up and celebrate a great moment.
“You're robbing the game of great moments the way it's going now where the goal umpire doesn't signal a goal.”
According to The Age, there was an average of two reviews per game from Opening Round until Gather Round.
