THE AFL will not change its approach to the umpire dissent rule, saying players ultimately take the risk of conceding a free kick if they choose to question an umpire's decision.
The League's crackdown on dissent was thrust back into the spotlight on Saturday after Greater Western Sydney's Stephen Coniglio conceded a pivotal free kick late in the loss to Carlton after questioning an umpire's ruling.
On Monday, AFL head of umpiring Dan Richardson conceded there was a level of grey in the game's rules around dissent and while the League sets out guidelines for umpires to follow, it was ultimately up to the official to determine if a player's remonstrations cross a line.
He said if players opt to challenge a decision, they run the risk of being penalised.
"We understand the debate on the level of dissent," Richardson said.
"We understand the debate on whether the umpire made the right call on the weekend, but this part is clear - if you put yourself in a position for an umpire to have to make a call by verbally or visually challenging a decision, then you need to live with the potential consequence, and in the example on the weekend - the umpire made a call.
"If you don't challenge the decisions, then there is no need for the debate.
"The approach going forward won't change."
STATEMENT Dan Richardson on umpire dissent rule
Richardson said while the umpires have guidelines to follow, it's ultimately up to the individual discretion of the official to determine if a free kick should be played.
"Just like we have some players or coaches who occasionally get emotional, or become overly expressive when under pressure, we also have umpires with differing levels of temperament," Richardson said.
"We have a set of guidelines for the umpires to work between, and we coach them, but we also can't coach human response.
"Footy is not black and white, it is one of the hardest games to umpire, there is a level of 'grey' and within this area is where the debate always sits.
"The umpires understand in the heat of battle there are going to be times regarding this rule, whether it has been an accumulation across the match or a single response, a time comes where they need to make a call."
