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Umpires more confusing than ever: Hinkley

3 minute read

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says umpiring of the AFL is more confusing than it ever has been.

KEN HINKLEY
KEN HINKLEY Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Umpiring of the AFL is more confusing than ever, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says.

Hinkley has joined a chorus of coaches bewildered at how the competition is being umpired.

The Power coach says he's not "an umpire basher".

But he couldn't hold his tongue after Port's 29-point loss to St Kilda on Saturday night.

"There is absolutely no doubt that it (umpiring) is more confusing today than it has ever been," Hinkley said.

Umpires were jeered from Adelaide Oval after an inconsistent display - but Hinkley said it wasn't their fault.

"The challenge with the umpiring is that it should not change from week to week," he said.

"That is confusing for everyone - players, for the umpires.

"The game shouldn't get adjusted from week to week. The rules are the rules, they don't need to change.

"We just need to umpire them consistently."

Hinkley said it was counter-productive having coaches and AFL chief Gillon McLachlan commenting on what umpiring interpretations should be.

"That's not the way the game should be," he said.

"And for umpires to have a week-to-week focus, their week-to-week focus shouldn't change from round one to round whatever we play.

"Their focus should be to umpire the rules as they are written and umpire them that way.

"Then everyone will become really clear with what to expect ... we play the game every week, we should play it with the same rules every week.

"I don't know that we need to make adjustments. We shouldn't behave like there is something that needs to be fixed every week."

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