Video replay is comingBy Adam McNicol
Tue 14 Feb, 2012AFL FOOTBALL operations manager Adrian Anderson has given the clearest indication yet that video review technology will be introduced for this year's home and away season.
A final decision is likely to be made before the NAB Cup Grand Final on March 17.
"What we'll do is we'll let most of the NAB Cup expire before we start analysing it," Anderson said at the launch of the pre-season competition, which took place at the Macleod Junior Football Club in Melbourne's northern suburbs on Tuesday morning.
"We'll start analysing the feedback and examine the incidents where it has come into play.
"[Then we'll decide] whether we're happy with the way it worked, whether it can be tweaked, and then make a call on whether it should be brought in before the [home and away] season starts.
A system that allows the goal umpires to communicate with another official who has access to video replays was first trialled in last year's NAB Cup.
It will be trialled again in the upcoming competition, which begins when Hawthorn, Richmond and North Melbourne do battle in shortened matches at Etihad Stadium on Friday.
"We're serious about the video-assisted scoring consultation. It's the second time we've had a look at that," Anderson said.
"If that works well then we're looking to bring it in for home and away [games]."
The sticking point about the video technology is whether it will substantially prolong matches.
With that in mind, the AFL has decreed that the consultations between the video official and the goal umpire must be kept to 40 seconds.
But given the length of quarters has ballooned past 30 minutes in recent years, any delay in the game has the potential to make that issue worse.
"We want to use the technology if it's there, it's available and it doesn't slow the game down too much," Anderson said.
"So, if it works well we would like to bring it in, but we have to trial it again before we make a final call on that."
A number of new rules will be trialled in the NAB Cup, including one that keeps ruckmen apart at boundary throw-ins and ball-ups, while a new interchange system will also be looked at.
Under the revised system, each club will have a separate interchange gate. Previously there has been only one gate, which is used by both teams.
"The laws committee wanted us to look at something that makes it less likely that there will be interchange infringements," Anderson said.
"We think that this should hopefully do that."
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