Statement attributed to AFLPA Interim CEO, Ben Smith:

The safety of umpires is a critical component for the game, and it’s one the players wholeheartedly agree with.

However, unilaterally deciding to increase the penalties on the playing group to greater extremes without consultation is disappointing.

The AFLPA wrote to the AFL weeks ago to request a forum where the players can sit down and genuinely discuss these issues wholistically with the AFL.

There are multiple factors that go into the number of fines increasing for careless contact with an umpire, such as additional umpires on the field and greater congestion around the ball, and the players feel the threshold of what constitutes incidental or accidental contact between players and umpires continues to shift. They ultimately believe these fines aren’t proportionate to the acts committed.

It’s evident to the AFLPA and players that the current MRO and Tribunal system is not working and needs to be reviewed and revised, and we look forward to being a part of that process.