A former AFL umpire chimes in over the fallout from the Zak Butters Tribunal hearing regarding his guilty verdict of umpire abuse during last week's clash against St Kilda.

Where will Tasmania start its list build? Will South Australia continue to host Gather Round?

And what does Jack Ginnivan say about how he used to play the game?

All that and more from media watch.

'Razor' Ray has his say on Butters umpire abuse

Former AFL umpire Ray Chamberlain has added his two cents regarding the Zak Butters-Nick Foot umpire abuse saga.

"It cuts to the very premise of what it is you're undertaking. The role of the umpire is to ensure that the game is played in a fair and safe manner, and that's your responsibility without fear or favour," Chamberlain said on AFL360.

"So, when that gets called into question, you're cutting at the very essence of who that person is in terms of their role.

"Expletives wash over an umpire; it's commonplace for those words as an umpire. That generally doesn't have much of an impact on an umpire personally. But, when you're calling into question the very fundamental essence of what they're doing and who they are, that does cut to the bone.

"Lots of people will be saying: ‘You've got to have thick skin', and let's be honest, that's true. If you're going to undertake that role, there's an element of stuff in general that you've got to be able to endure, handle and work through.

"The players are ripping in; it's emotive, it's combative, it's a rarefied environment … so you've got to have an understanding of that balance. At the same time, if we're going to get a great relationship between player and on-field official, there's a reciprocity piece at play — whereby players need to acknowledge ‘don't go there'."

Chamberlain also spoke to Nick Foot not engaging in conversation with Zak Butters.

"It could've been perceived as being dismissive, or disrespectful, or weak — but it's quite the opposite, he's not permitted to do that,” he said.

"I know that had been communicated before the end of the game. There were attempts at three-quarter time."

SA set to Gather Round for three years

South Australia is tipped to get its wish to continue playing host of the AFL's Gather Round, according to the Agenda Setters on Channel Seven.

A new deal is set to be announced over the Showdown weekend, which will be Round 8, May 1.

Ump urged to walk from betting company

Following the intense Tribunal hearing of Zak Butters and Nick Foot, the AFL umpire has been urged to walk away from his commitments with betting company, Sportsbet, and his role as a racing analyst.

"I've got a footnote here – I don't mean that to be a pun,” Gerard Whateley said on Fox Footy's AFL 360.

"Nick Foot should remove himself from the sports betting agency that he's associated with. “He shouldn't be paid by that agency from here going forth, because he's an important figure in the game.

"He's already a grand final umpire, he had to answer questions today under cross-examination of whether his integrity and whether that employment was clouding the view around his umpiring, and he conceded that conversation is happening at the moment.

"That is both unfair on him, and something that he is in control of – step away from that until you're finished as an AFL umpire, because his status in the game is vital as a grand final umpire."

Tassie outline trade plans

The Tasmania Devils have all but ruled out pursuing contracted players as they enter the league for the 2028 season, meaning targets such as Nick Daicos, Sam Darcy, Finn Callaghan and Harry Sheezel were effectively off the table for the Devils.

“You'd be staggered if their clubs are willing to let them go,” Devils list boss Todd Patterson said in a statement provided to Footy Classified.

“But then secondly, just what it would take from an assets point of view when it comes to both finances and draft picks – it would be highly unlikely at this point in time that's something we'll pursue.

“It's a clear priority for us to hit the uncontracted and free agent market.”

Tom Green and Logan Morris are high on the club's priority list.

Ginnivan's candid assessment of himself

Hawthorn gun Jack Ginnivan didn't mince his words on Channel Seven's The Agenda Setters when showed vision of his work as a Collingwood forward, attempting to duck for free kicks.

"It's hard to watch," Ginnivan said.

"Even just getting in and straight away putting the arm up. 

 

"I think just driving my legs and being comfortable with the ball in hand, that's a guy that doesn't really want to fend off or use his hips.

"It starts at training where you fend guys off, take people on instead of lowering your shoulder and ducking into it.

"I'm glad I got it out of my game."

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