Saturday, July 28, 2012

Is the AFL Goal Video Review Working?


With two posters given goals in recent AFL Grand Finals - Tom Hawkins 2009 and Sharrod Wellingham 2011 - the AFL had to do something. And after much debate, a video review was decided as the solution for the 2012 season.  But is it the best one? Not only as far as accuracy, but cost, and interruption to the game.


FIFA's micro chip trial
In years gone by Dean laidley, as coach of the Kangaroos, suggested a micro chip be inserted in the ball. Presumably the technology would detect if the ball had fully crossed the goal line, similar to what FIFA have been investigating for the EPL since 2005. In AFL it would also have to work when kicked above goal and point posts to adjudicate correct scoring decisions. FIFA still have not come up with a satisfactory solution. Not only is it technologically challenging, it is cost-prohibitive at this stage.  This method is also wide open to hackers. What is stopping GWS or the Suns players recruiting their high school hacker buddies to intercept the chip's message and have a lesser score reconfigured to a major before it reaches the ears of the umpie?  It is obvious technology is fraught with danger.


A few years back I wrote to the AFL and the Herald Sun, recommending a technology-free method, using nets on either side of the goal posts to determine whether a goal or point was scored.

If there was a close decision about which side of the goal post the ball went, the evidence would be there for all to see because the net would capture the ball on one side or the other.  The benefits?
  • No need for video review. 
  • The result is immediate, there are no interruptions to the game. 
  • Extremely low cost.  The nets can be purchased 2nd hand from the local fishing community, or the fishnet stockings from StKilda's end of season review can be sewn together.  

In the off-season, the umpires, led by the Geisch, can use the nets trawling for Great Whites on Port Phillip Bay. This would develop the necessary character to umpire at AFL level.
Umpire Shane McInerney putting in the hard yards pre-season.

While the Herlald Sun published my original letter (they published everybody's back then), Andrew Demetriou and Adrian Anderson were conspicuous in their silence.

So, today I have returned to cover the weaknesses in my proposal.  The missing pieces to solving the puzzle of ensuring 100% correct, fool proof AFL goal umpiring decisons.

The weaknesses in my original solution were obviously what happens...
  1. when the ball is kicked above the posts, and hence, above the nets
  2. if the ball glances the post, but is unseen by the umpire
  3. when it is touched on the line by a player.
Billy Brownless. Yes this has nothing
to do with the Mirroul Silo Kick
Firstly, the minimum height of the goal and point posts would be extended to 10 metres higher than a wheat silo. This metric is scientifically calibrated by Billy Brownless, who won the inaugural Mirroul Silo Kick in the Riverina in 1992, booting a ball over a wheat silo by just less than that margin. Following this to its logical conclusion, no current player could kick as big as Billy, so it stands to reason that they couldnt kick it any higher when having a shot on goal.  The height of the sticks would play havoc with Richo's goal-kicking, the width between them becoming exceedingly narrow via optical illusion, but as he's retired it's a moot point.

Weakness #1 - solved.


There are a couple of options to determine if the ball has glanced a post. One is to coat goal and point posts in fingerprint powder.  There'd be a bloody great smudge on the post for all to see.

The other option is to create all goal and point posts as one giant car horn, or Klaxon. The slightest force would trigger a sound. Distinctive ringtones can be used for point posts and goal posts. In fact, goal umpires might like to choose their own ring tone to bring a bit of personality into the game. Something like a Dukes of Hazard car horn for the goal post, and Abba's Dancing Queen might suffice for the point post.

It would be far more effective to use both methods in tandem to prevent players secretly pressing the goal post on close shots.

Weakness #2 - solved.


Finally, determining whether a player has touched the ball before or after it crosses the goal line is a little bit more difficult to judge without using technology.  Here, I've opted for the Stick Vs Carrot method, and gone for the stick. And it does rely on the existing camera set up, initially. The steps to the method are as follows:
  • Electrodes are connected to the goal umpires groin prior to taking the field.
  • If on the replay it has been determined that a mistake has been made, a small electronic charge is sent by the Geisch sitting up high in the box, by pressing a button.
  • For repeat offenders, the charge is increased.
  • Substitute goal umps are at the ready should the charge become too much for the officiating umpire
  • Eventually, the cameras are phased out as the goal umpies are that motivated to avoid the consequences they will never make another mistake ever again.
Umpire preparing for a game

This method works equally well for male and female umpires, along the lines of  Pavlov's Dog psychological training. It's only weakness is that the Geisch might begin to enjoy it a little too much.

Regardless, that is weakness #3 - solved, and an accurate, cost-acceptable solution to ensure 100% goal umpiring accuracy with minimal interruption to the game.

Messers Demetriou and Anderson, I await your response.



19 comments:

Anonymous said...

i think someone has inserted a chip or electrode into to your brain.....but upside down... it needs to be removed.......(your brain....not the fkking electrode....and let us tip in peace and harmony)

Anonymous said...

wheres the fkkking pen............u f c

Anonymous said...

we need pens here man...otherwise we cant write comments on your ranting and raving

Anonymous said...

u penhead

Anonymous said...

why didnt u stay in tassie a bit longer.............like another 50 years

Anonymous said...

be happy if they shovved up a large electrode up your clacker...

Anonymous said...

i reccommend them.............. just have trouble turning the mudda fukkers off.......

Anonymous said...

why dont u go dog paddle.....its on now

Anonymous said...

daisy duke has called up............she is in jail and needs assistance

Anonymous said...

the IOC have called up... they are pushing for this site to be banned....... julia gillard is gutted ... but still.....

Anonymous said...

your olympic update....phelps did a dean and has applied to change his name to feltch ing...............

Anonymous said...

over history many things have gone wrong...........this website is one of them

Anonymous said...

XXAAPT- Reuters News.............

UB Correspondant in VietNam got dispatched for no apparent reason.....

heard saying............"whaaaaaa da ffffuuuuuuuu? "


but it didnt make any difference....

Anonymous said...

there is a high correlation between this commentary ... in length... in terms of words not context

and whether cfc wins or not.......

average length of content... 516.5 words if carlton wins

if cfc wins by less than a goal 1200.3 words...

if cfc gets beaten 300 words... and 3 days late........




its gonzo journalisim........ lets do a hunter s t

Anonymous said...

5 grape fruit
6 shots b mary
in peorto rico for breakfast to awaken the day

need shot guns for the arve......hey yeah....

Anonymous said...

ohio gozamus .. konichiwa...'
nomi ni iki masama



.
..

of fk.. this is the wrong site

Anonymous said...

bill gates here........

i never do this..... but who ever is running this site..........get rid of this shite.......... its an embarressment to myself, and whoever you are....... .. altho .. whats her number?.. BG.

Anonymous said...

hahahahahahahahh
james bond magnessuen and his hot fave team come .......l a s t
fkem off
mouthy cntoid

Anonymous said...

it would be good to tell james magbesun to talk to brrett ratten.... hey im gunna win nthe premiership gor sure......feb 2012 hheeeyy james mag............... arrrrrrrrrrr f effem we cant cat cant lose the 4 x 100 ... foregt about the shamsjsiwsidhihd giuters... f heads micheal denehey never admits his failure he still owes a shit load of mars bars.......... but this season he will never concede that he got told by a VN person that cfc will battle to make the 8
it was all bases on that cfc has no 6talls
and the ones we have are soooooooooooooo injury peone..



FFFFFFFFFFFF Sak4e i have looookled everywhertr for the3 post/email to dens..... but./.

tye fucking little shity woulud hVE deleted tghen all from my outbox tooo//



he doesnt admit brauion ... him andf stenz want ted to fgfronewdhzcha grow up with us b=in caTRKLTONYHNBTJDBN MV

thats it
i think my commentary and contributibution to the esteemed website of UB is over




predly