Lions coach says greater transparency needed over under-fire score assist technology

Brisbane Lions coach Craig Starcevich wants greater transparency from the AFLW and broadcasters over the league’s use of the under-fire score assist technology.

The AFL admitted a costly mistake was made last round when Gold Coast incorrectly had a goal overturned during a three-point loss to Collingwood.

The league put it down to human error, conceding the score assist official on duty did not review all available angles of the vision at the time of the decision.

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Starcevich said club officials, players and fans were being left in the dark about the process during matches, to the detriment of the AFLW competition.

“I would really like to see the communication between umpire and off-field (officials) and some of the graphics that they’ve promised us to actually come to light so that we can actually engage the viewer (and) engage the coaches,” Starcevich told reporters on Wednesday.

“All of us watching the game have got no idea what the conversations are.

“That would actually clear up a lot of the issues, I think.”

Gold Coast were livid after Jamie Stanton’s goal was overturned, expressing concern over the ball tracking technology which is being used for the first time in the AFLW this season.

The league released a statement on Monday, admitting the technology incorrectly recorded the ball was touched after Stanton’s kick.

The league also said only one angle of vision was viewed by the score assist official, who then inspected more angles at half-time.

Those angles showed the decision to overturn the goal was incorrect.

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But Starcevich said he was still none the wiser, calling for greater insight into the process.

“Whatever happened with that kick in the Gold Coast-Collingwood game and what the ball hit between boot and goal is, for all of us, a bit of a mystery,” Starcevich said.

“I don’t know the details but they did promise us that there would be a bit of a match-up between what vision looks like and what the actual ball technology is telling us.

“So there’s still that aspect of the review process … we haven’t seen that because it hasn’t been broadcast.”

The AFL men’s competition does not use a smart ball in its score review system.

Instead, umpires in doubt about a score will first make a provisional call before footage from various angles is reviewed to determine the outcome.

AAP