Essendon coach Brad Scott revealed that the AFL has admitted umpiring errors were made during the club's Anzac Day clash, thrusting the contentious 'stand-the-mark' rule back into the spotlight.
Scott spoke on the club's desire to seek clarity over the missed calls. Collingwood, who largely sits five metres from the mark, attempts to force their opponents down the line by cutting off the middle.
This plot can be deemed to be within the protected area of the player with the ball.
"The club (sought clarification)," Scott said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters.
"But we do that periodically, only if it's a material adjudication.
"In terms of how the rule is interpreted, it seems there's been a bit of creep on the stand (rule) and the protected area.
"I understand it's a really hard rule to umpire, but do you have to stand or can you just block the 45 (degree kick)? In this case, can you stand on the inside and protect the midfield?
"It just seems there's been a bit of creep on the stand and the protected area."
🗣️ Brad Scott on Essendon's concerns re: the stand rule. pic.twitter.com/84S8WXkeTu
— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 29, 2025
"They've come back and said they're all errors, so there'll obviously be an adjustment to that. That doesn't help us now.
"We didn't send this in to say ‘are these errors or not?', we actually sent vision in the previous week asking ‘if this is the way it's interpreted, we'll do the same thing'.
"We just want some clarity on it."
The 'stand-the-mark' rule was introduced ahead of the 2021 season, and has seen many iterations in its four-year existence.
The premise behind the law was to help open up the game, providing clubs with the capacity to add speed and dare on the ball.
Players were previously penalised for any slight movement on the mark, including being coerced into reaching for a dummy handball or kick.
THE AFL last night wrote to clubs informing them that the stand rule will be a focus this week after concerns of a "creep" by some teams. The league is also concerned by a rise in umpire contact and is threatening more free kicks and suspensions if it doesn't cease. @1116sen
— Sam Edmund (@Sammy__Edmund) April 30, 2025
However, it has since been cleaned up for the past two seasons, with umpires becoming more lenient and understanding of players in that position, to the point where limited calls are made.
The Pies, who rank as the best defensive team, including defending the opposition's ball movement, consistently work the angles off the mark, which Scott wanted clarity on.
AFL EGM of Football Laura Kane admitted that some clubs are attempting to manipulate the rules to "benefit" their game style.
"The clubs are trying to find ways to benefit from the rules. That's their job," Kane said on SEN.
"Sometimes, and the 'stand' rule is a perfect example, there's creep. Some clubs, in different parts of the ground, are creeping.
"We try to hold for a few weeks to see if there's a trend. Last night, we wrote to the clubs and said, there is creep here, and we've met with some particular clubs.
"The rule hasn't changed. The way we officiate it hasn't changed. It's just the creep is there, and we need the umpires to be mindful of that."
