By Michael Gleeson
Umpires have been reminded to call play on if players fake to try to milk a 50-metre penalty from the stand rule as Carlton’s Sam Docherty successfully did in the blockbuster at the MCG on Sunday.
The AFL dislikes players trying to game the system and draw free kicks or 50-metre penalties and considers feinting to play on and draw the hefty penalty is similar to the player who dives in a marking contest or drops at the knees or lifts an arm up like Jack Ginnivan and Joel Selwood to draw a head high free kick.
Sam Docherty drew a 50m penalty when he stepped across to fake a handball.Credit:AFL Photos/Getty Images
A 50-metre penalty in the Collingwood-Carlton game against Jordan De Goey for moving off the mark when told to stand was considered an error by the umpire as Docherty had stepped off his line to fake a handball and the umpire should have immediately called play on.
The AFL believes the umpire missed the play on and so while De Goey moved from the mark before play on was called and technically this is a correctly applied decision, the play on was missed in the first instance.
The AFL has previously warned players that umpires are encouraged that even making to handball is sufficient for play on to be called by the umpire even without the player stepping off the line.
The decision in the Carlton-Collingwood game illustrated a point the umpires have been pushing with clubs since early last year when Cale Hooker drew a free kick on the stand rule against Brisbane’s Zac Bailey that led to a goal.
In the spotlight: Jack Ginnivan earned a high-contact free kick from this Jaidyn Stephenson tackle.Credit:Getty Images
After that goal the AFL contacted clubs and warned them that trying to draw a player on the mark into moving and milking a 50-metre penalty would only lead to play on being called. They have occasionally got in touch with clubs in-season warning about players they are aware of trying to milk 50s.
AFL umpires boss Dan Richardson would not be drawn on specific cases like the De Goey incident or other contentious decisions in the Carlton-Collingwood blockbuster but said the AFL has long been concerned about players trying to milk frees and con umpires whether it was with the stand rule or drawing head high tackles.
“Players are aware that the stand rule has been in for two years now and how it operates. Players on the mark understand that once stand is called they cannot move until play on is called and the player with the ball understands that if they step off their line at all play is likely to be called,” Richardson said.
“We want play on to be called first on those occasions (when a player fakes to handball or play on to draw a 50).
“There’s an umpire responsibility to apply the rules and a player responsibility not to fake and milk an advantage. Like with other rules adjustments we have made (the head high tackle crack down or the Ginnivan rule this year). Umpiring is hard enough without players attempting to get an advantage by faking to exploit the rules,” Richardson said.
The AFL has not sent a memo to clubs this week reminding them of the situation believing it was unnecessary as clubs and players knew the rule.
There were a range of other contentious free kicks in the game including blocks in marking contests that led to a goals or meant shots at goal were denied. There were also dropping the ball free kicks unpaid that would have led to goals.
Both teams earned goals or were denied goals from free kicks or unpaid free kicks. These issues arise every week.
The Docherty-De Goey example was raised by the AFL as an issue of their concern at players seeking to milk an advantage.
