Matthew Lloyd believes there is “a lack of leadership” at the AFL, after Caroline Wilson confirmed footy boss Laura Kane will stop filming weekly umpire decision explanations.
It comes after Kane did not appear on her regular Monday night television timeslot, where she is quizzed on that weekend’s controversial calls.
Wilson confirmed that the AFL want to keep up with their “transparency” in umpiring decisions, but will aim now take the complete focus off umpiring week in, week out.
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“There has been a reset at AFL HQ, that too much focus has been on umpiring, it’s taking up too much time,” Wilson said on Nine’s Footy Classified on Monday night.
“I think that’s a really significant shift. The AFL is insisting and Laura Kane is saying that they want to continue to be as transparent as possible, happy to explain (decisions).
“But no more Monday televised explanations, as we’ve been seeing all year.”
Instead, Kane and the league will encourage AFL coaches to contact them directly, to speak over the phone or via scheduled meetings.
It comes after Kane admitted that the controversial deliberate rushed behind umpiring decision against Bombers defender Jye Menzie in their 45-point loss to Geelong on Saturday, was a mistake.
Kane called Essendon coach Brad Scott on Monday to personally apologise.
But that apology doesn’t sit right with Lloyd, who still thinks the league is avoiding clarifying their rules.
“Absolutely, there is a lack of leadership,” Lloyd said.
“I think it’s an absolute mess, whether they want to speak publicly or they don’t want to speak and they go straight to the clubs and tell them.
“What other bosses of an organisation listen to so many people?
“Have some fortitude in what you want to do as an organisation.”
Lloyd explained that Geelong forward Ollie Dempsey and Essendon forward Kyle Langford, who both appeared on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show, had differing views on that deliberate rushed behind call.
“We had Ollie Dempsey (Geelong) think one thing, we had Kyle Langford (Essendon) think another,” he said.
For Lloyd, it shows that the AFL is still unable to actually address where players are confused, or clear up the rules and not change them again for the rest of the season.
“They don’t know what’s wrong,” he said.
“Half would have thought that was the right decision, half would have thought that was wrong.
“Now Laura (Kane) comes out now and says ‘that was wrong’.
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“Travis Boak (Port Adelaide) came out a month ago and said, ‘I would not have a clue what the holding the ball is’. I don’t think we’re that much clearer now.”
Scott also met with umpiring coach Michael Jennings, alongside umpiring boss Steve McBurney, to further discuss his confusion on Monday.