On Tuesday night, Power tough-nut Matt Thomas was fined $2,600 and suspended for one week after being charged with recklessly making contact with umpire Jason Armstrong in the win over Hawthorn on Saturday.
Thomas stood his ground goal-side of opponent Brad Sewell at the centre bounce and crashed into the umpire as he attempted to follow the star Hawk.
The AFL match review panel conceded Sewell had lined up directly behind the umpire, but laid blame for the contact between Thomas and umpire Armstrong squarely at the Power onballer’s feet.
During the pre-season competition, the AFL trialled a rule which saw the area behind an umpire at the centre bounce become a no go zone.
Boak said the League might need to look at introducing the rule for the regular season to combat what is becoming a common tactic.
“It’s pretty hard for Shaun Burgoyne, D-Rod (David Rodan) and these sorts of guys to get away from their opponents. They’re going to try and do anything to get away from their players and I know we try and use it (the umpires as a screen) sometimes,” Boak said on Wednesday.
“Looking at the incident, it was pretty unlucky for Matty because he’s just come back into the side and he was pretty much just trying to hold Sewell out.
“We know we’ve got to try and get out of the way of the umpires, especially running out of the centre bounce, but it was one of those unfortunate ones.”
The match review panel cleared Sewell of instigating the contact between Thomas and the umpire.
“Maybe he (Thomas) could’ve stood the other side of Sewell or just tried to get out of the way of the umpire, but it’s a pretty hard thing to do,” said Boak.
“The umpires come into the centre circle and say which way they’re coming back, so you’ve just got to try and stay on your opponent and get out of the way of the umpire at the same time.”
Brisbane Lion Simon Black was also booked for a similar offence, but escaped with a $1,950 fine and 93.75 demerit points. Thomas had existing carry-over points, which made his punishment an automatic one-game ban.
Last week, Collingwood’s Heath Shaw was also rubbed out for a week after intentionally grabbing an umpires arm.
But, despite the spate of recent suspensions, Boak said the rule was fair.
“The umpires are a major part of our game and they’ve got to be protected as much as we do.”
Thomas will miss Friday night’s ANZAC Round clash with St Kilda and Power vice-captain Shaun Burgoyne (knee) will have to pass a fitness test at training on Wednesday to be considered.
