AFL umpire dissent rules are blasted after Dan McKenzie cops 50m punishment

The AFL’s new umpire dissent rule has sunk to a new low after St Kilda’s Dan McKenzie was harshly punished in what has been described as ‘an absolute farce’.

McKenzie was deemed to have disrespected the umpires after GWS star Callan Ward was awarded a mark during the second term at Manuka Oval on Friday night. 

After the mark was paid, McKenzie pointed to the turf to indicate that the ball had hit the ground before Ward grabbed it – an action that the umpires said breached their dissent rules. 

The AFL’s new umpire dissent rule has stirred up controversy yet again after Dan McKenzie was harshly punished on Friday night

However, McKenzie’s teammate Ben Long and GWS star Braydon Preuss escaped punishment for extending their arms after a decision, in clear violation of the new rules. 

As expected, the rulings have once again left pundits seething, with Nick Riewoldt labelling the call ‘an absolute farce’ while commentator Brian Taylor fears for the game’s future.

‘I mean really? Is this what we want?’ he said on air.

‘I know they aren’t going to change their decision … the words were: ‘It hit the ground’. It’s hard isn’t it?

The St Kilda star pointed to the turf to indicate that Callen Ward had not marked the ball

However, the umpire determined that McKenzie’s gesture amounted to dissent and he was punished with a 50m penalty

‘I just pray that the grand final is not going to be made with a decision like that.’

‘To the letter of the law, he is questioning the umpire’s decision here, so you can’t dispute that. But was it demonstrative? I don’t know,’ Daisy Pearce added.

‘The trouble we’re going to have with this rule is two out of the three umpires aren’t paying that, but one is.

‘We saw Ben Long throw his arms out in the first quarter and no free kick.

AFL stars past and present have expressed their disdain in the latest controversial decision

Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes said: ‘That’s rubbish. I bet they don’t pay that in the finals. You can’t pay goals against for that. All he was saying is “it hit the ground”, no swearing.’

AFL stars of past and present also had their say on Twitter, with Mitch Robinson, Paddy Ryder and Jude Bolton not mincing their words.  

‘We are setting the umpires up for failure by imposing the harshness of the interpretation of the dissent rule,’ Bolton posted. ‘There are already so many things they have to concentrate on. It doesn’t help the game – or assist them in the duties.’ 

Robinson said: ‘I can’t watch footy anymore,’ while Ryder posted: ‘Wow’.