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The The AFL’s new umpiring boss quickly slammed the door the concept of a potential dispatch rule.
And in an exclusive interview with Channel 7, Steve McBurney also cleared up one of the game’s oldest myths while revealing the challenges behind the Brownlow Medal vote.
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: AFL referees boss slams door on send-off rule.
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Former umpire McBurney is in charge of more than 200 AFL officials and he told 7NEWS umpires are finally moving into full-time positions.
Seven News understands the field umpire can earn up to $200,000 a season.
“I think we’re almost there with quite a few field umpires, they’ve made AFL umpiring their main occupation,” McBurney told 7NEWS Chief AFL Reporter Mitch Cleary.
“They spend more time than ever, certainly than me, in clubs, doing club visits and clubs are desperate to have referees there.”
McBurney is only two weeks into his new role and isn’t afraid to step up.
The concept of a dispatch rule was brought up this week by highly regarded Sydney coach John Longmirebut McBurney was having none of it.
“On sendings, that exists at every level below the AFL, but there’s no plan to bring it back to the AFL,” he said.
McBurney also talked about what Cleary called “one of the oldest myths in the game.”
And this myth is what many people call the AFL’s “Rule of the Week”.
There is a widespread belief among AFL fans that the umpires get together during the week, discuss a rule that needs tightening, and that rule then becomes a sharp focus in the next round.
But under McBurney’s watch, there won’t be a microscope on a specific weekly rule.
“I’ve been looking for this rule of the week for the 21 years I’ve been an umpire,” McBurney said.
“And maybe I wasn’t paying attention to the coaching sessions because I never saw the ‘rule of the week’ note.
“We’re going to show examples every week and if we’ve gone too far one week, we just have to adjust it and find the middle ground.”
But he stressed there is no such thing as a “rule of the week”
Another issue that was raised last year was around the Brownlow Medal voting, with fans wondering why the referees did not have access to match statistics when they voted.
Those calls came after Lachie Neale won his second Brownlow and received three votes in games where his performances were questionable.
One of those games was in Round 6, Neil was just OK but GWS halfback Josh Kelly had a whopping 41 disposals while Neil’s teammate Charlie Cameron kicked seven goals.
However, Neil received three votes and social media exploded.
But McBurney confirmed the judges will still not have access to statistics when voting for the Brownlow.
“The Brownlow is a time-honored tradition. We want the judges to make the best and fairest decisions,” he said.
“They understand their responsibility, they take it really seriously, they do it in a confidential setting.”
McBurney also made an immediate impact with the flawed results review system.
A common complaint about results reviews is that there are too many and too time consuming.
But result reviews have already dropped from more than 20 in Round 4 to just seven last week.
“We’re really pleased with what we’ve seen over the last three weeks. We are really pleased with the way the goal judges have adapted to the new instructions,” he said.
“Now they will give a goal and not go for a review when they think it’s a goal.
“Reviews of the score dropped to seven over the weekend and only four were goal referee initiated reviews and that compares to over 20 in rounds three and four.”
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