Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra is in danger of becoming the first player to be referred to the tribunal for making umpire contact since the AFL’s crackdown on such incidents.
Cerra is waiting to see if he will be cited by the match review officer on Friday for a collision with an umpire just before half-time in the Blues’ heavy loss to the Brisbane Lions.
As it would be the fourth time Cerra has made careless contact with an umpire in the past two years, if cited, the AFL can send him to the tribunal, where he would run the gauntlet of a suspension or an increase on the standard $5000 fine for a third offence.
The Blues could also be fined $5000, exempt from the soft cap, under new guidelines which came into effect at the start of the month as part of a push by the AFL to reduce umpire contact from players.
Cerra, while guarding dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale, had his back turned to umpire Rob O’Gorman and collided with the whistleblower, who was backing out of the stoppage after the ball-up in accordance with umpire coaching guidelines. Though there appeared to be light contact from Neale, but it may not be enough to reduce Cerra’s culpability.
Loading
But defender Lachie Cowan is likely to escape sanction after his contact with umpire Andrew Heffernan, who got in his way while the Blue was attempting to mark a lateral kick from a teammate.
Essendon coach Brad Scott fumed last week after his star forward Nate Caddy collided with an umpire who had accidentally stepped into his path. Scott, a former AFL football boss, said he has repeatedly asked the league to direct umpires not to stand in the corridor as that was where clubs sought to move the ball.
Gold Coast star Matt Rowell said last week that he would not be changing his positioning at stoppage despite the league’s harder line.
