IN AN unprecedented threat, the AFL has left open the possibility of suspending St Kilda coach Grant Thomas for his criticism of umpires.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou yesterday announced Thomas' comments would be dealt with under Player Rules -- not established penalties that apply for umpire criticism -- which allow "conduct unbecoming" actions to be sent to the tribunal. Demetriou said yesterday that the AFL's football operations manager Adrian Anderson would use his discretion under Rule 1.6 to impose potentially severe monetary or tribunal sanctions.
"I think he is in strife," Demetriou said.
He said umpires had been unfairly criticised by Thomas, who, among many observations of the game's on-field adjudicators, said they should "put their ego in the locker when they start their career and pick it up when they finish their career".
"I thought it was pretty poor and unacceptable, and I thought it was demeaning to umpires and it was not necessary," Demetriou said.
Thomas' comments came after recent criticism of umpires by fellow coaches Mick Malthouse, Dean Laidley and Rodney Eade.
AFL Coaches Association chief executive Peter Allen sent a memo to all coaches yesterday telling them to refrain from making any public statements on umpires.
Allen said he was seeking "urgent clarification" from the AFL on the scope allowed for comment.
"What has happened is there has been frustration and anger at a very, very confusing situation," Allen said.
It is understood the AFL is viewing Thomas' outburst, made at a press conference on Tuesday, more severely than it did Essendon's James Hird, who last year fined himself $20,000 for criticising umpires.
Thomas would not comment when alerted by the Herald Sun to the AFL's stance but, as part of a prepared statement from the Saints last night, said he meant no harm.
"My comments were in no way meant to be interpreted as a personal attack on umpires or umpiring in general," he said.
"They were in answer to a series of questions. If my comments have offended any individual or group I sincerely apologise."
St Kilda chief executive Jim Watts said at the start of the season that coaches had been given more latitude to comment on umpires.
Anderson said last night he may not complete his investigation of the Thomas matter until next week.
Under the set penalties for criticism of umpires, offenders can be penalised with a maximum $5000 fine.
Demetriou said the AFL would not tolerate criticism of umpires and added that its system of set penalties was being reviewed.
"I have no doubt we won't be going backwards in the sanctions and we won't be going backwards in our policy of zero tolerance," he said.
"We asked the players a couple of weeks ago to adhere to zero tolerance (on umpire abuse) and they do, and they have.
"The least we can expect is for others in the industry to do the same."
A recent report into umpiring by leading Adelaide football official Bill Sanders has made the AFL aware that criticism at the game's elite level was detrimental to lower grades.
"What we do at senior level has significant impact and flows through to state leagues and our junior leagues and we certainly won't be tolerating criticism of our umpires," Demetriou said.
Ego is a dirty word
