AFL clears Bombers star over huge umpire collision
Shayne Hope |
Essendon forward Nate Caddy has avoided AFL sanction over his collision with an umpire after coach Brad Scott slammed the whistleblowers’ on-field positioning.
Caddy ran hard towards a contest during the Bombers’ 41-point loss to Gold Coast on Saturday and collided with umpire Robert O’Gorman, who stepped into his path.
The clash came just days after the AFL announced a crackdown on players making contact with umpires, with the league threatening to suspend repeat offenders.
Caddy was cleared of wrongdoing by the match review officer (MRO) on Sunday and not mentioned at all in the findings.
The MRO occasionally adds notes to incidents that warrant further explanation.
Essendon coach Scott acknowledged the AFL’s concern around umpire safety, but teed off when claiming there is an easy fix to prevent incidents like the Caddy-O’Gorman collision.
“I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve approached the AFL about moving the umpires out of the corridor,” Scott said post-match.
“The last response I had from (AFL Head of Officiating) Stephen McBurney was, ‘Just pretend they’re invisible.’
“It would make sense if the umpires were in four quadrants on the outside of the contest, looking at the contest.
“But they insist on running into the corridor, and they’re coached that way.”
Scott said the incident “took the wind out of” his player.
“It took 15 minutes to get him going again,” Scott said.
“Whose fault is it? Certainly not Nate Caddy’s – particularly given we’ve put this on the agenda to move the umpires out of the corridor and they just refuse to do it.”
Richmond defender Noah Balta escaped a suspension for his heavy hit on Geelong star Tom Stewart but was handed a $10,000 fine, which can be reduced to $6250 with an early plea.
Balta was charged with forceful front-on contact over the incident during the Tigers’ 72-point defeat at GMHBA Stadium.
Port Adelaide’s Hugh Jackson can accept a $2000 fine for kneeing Brisbane Lions veteran Dayne Zorko.
AAP
