'It's called good management': Jimmy Bartel urges AFL to communicate weekly umpire rule changes
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Jimmy Bartel has called on the AFL and their umpires to improve on communication with clubs around rules and their ever-changing adjudication week to week.
During round 18, it seemed like the umpires focused heavily on penalising short kicks, that they deemed not 15 metres.
Geelong coach Chris Scott admitted he noticed the umpires punishing both his and Collingwood players during their 20-point win on Friday night.
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"It was clear wasn't it, right from the start," Scott said post-match.
Now, Bartel has called for calm, urging the AFL and the head of umpires to prioritise "communication" between them and clubs, when they want to crack down on certain rules, like the 15 metre kick.
AFL Field Umpire, Brendan Hosking requests a score review. AFL Photos via Getty Images
"Let's use dissent (rule) as an example. You get the whiteboard out, the head of the umpires, Steve McBurney might go, 'you know what? I'm getting a bit tired of umpires getting abused by players'," Bartel began on Nine's Eddie and Jimmy podcast.
"You start with A, cause Adelaide is at the top and you go ... and call the footy manager, you go, 'dissent is creeping in, we don't like the look of it, we don't want players throwing their arms up, we don't want you abusing the umpires, we told you about this a little while ago. It's a s--t look. If you get paid a 50 (metre penalty) this week, you've been warned. It's up to you to tell the team, don't b---h and moan in the press conferences, don't complain'. You've got to let them (the clubs) know.
"You repeat and rinse until you've got through all 18 clubs and finish with the Western Bulldogs."
The next step in Bartel's communication plans, would see all clubs notified, as well as broader stakeholders able to wrap their head around that week's rule crack down.
"Then you send an email out, 'to all clubs, as further discussion as I've had with you all, there it is'," Bartel said.
Bartel believes it is a very doable task for those key stakeholders, to allow clubs to prepare as best as possible each week.
It also reduces the pressure placed on coaches post match to address controversial umpiring calls.
Changkuoth Jiath argued with the umpire after a headbutt earlier in 2024. via Getty Images
"What would that take you? 45 minutes to do?" he asked.
"It's called good management. You're there to work with the club, not against them. So just get on the phone, it's actually a good form of communication.
"When you get big organisations ... sometimes the most simplest of tasks and things get forgotten about, because we're so focused on the high tech."
