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Sport Nation
"Don't make sense": The umpiring decisions Pendlebury would change
Jaiden Sciberras • June 10th, 2025 3:29 pm
Legendary Collingwood midfielder Scott Pendlebury has expressed a number of umpiring changes he believes would benefit the flow of the game.
With the AFL’s umpiring continuing to make headlines over rogue decision making and over-complicated ruling, the 414-game veteran has put in his valuable two cents on areas that the AFL should consider altering.
With incoming Football Performance boss Greg Swann set to take over a number of on-field responsibilities, Pendlebury has offered his assistance in polishing a range of ongoing concerns.
“If (Swann) wants to give me a call I would love to be involved in the game,” Pendlebury told SEN Breakfast.
“I am really passionate about the game. I think there is a few little things we could iron out.
“The stand rule to me doesn’t make any sense. I would just get rid of it altogether. It’s just one thing the umpires don’t need to worry about.
“We don’t need a bounce at the start of the quarter, the holding the ball rule needs a little bit of a tweak."
Despite the AFL introducing a fourth on-field umpire in the 2023 season, the convoluted rules surrounding the holding the ball, insufficient intent and the stand rule have made the game exponentially more difficult to call.
“We just need to make the game nice and simple for the umpires," Pendlebury continued.
"They have so many different rules they are trying to worry about.
“Fundamentally I think finals footy is always umpired the best because a lot of it is just let go.”
Off the back of the Magpies’ one-point win over the Demons, they sit comfortably atop the AFL ladder heading into their mid-season bye.
