Two VFL players are under scrutiny after both made significant contact with an umpire during a match at Windy Hill on Sunday. Essendon's Tyler Sellers and St Kilda's Joshua Clarke collided on the boundary line, inadvertently causing collateral damage to the field umpire.
Accidental Collision on the Boundary
The incident occurred after the ball went out of bounds. Sellers, with his head down, was returning to his position when he accidentally ran straight into the umpire, who did not see the contact coming. Clarke then attempted to body check Sellers, but instead pushed him further into the umpire. The bump caught Sellers on the left side of his body, forcing his hand into the umpire's face.
Both players immediately apologised for the contact. However, accidental or not, the AFL takes a dim view on any umpire contact.
Umpire Contact Strictly Enforced
This incident comes just one day after AFL umpire Nick Brown was caught in a melee between Collingwood and Gold Coast. That altercation began when Bailey Humphrey kicked a goal in the final minute of the second quarter after a questionable free kick. Things escalated when an unsuspecting Brayden Maynard was hit by Ben Long after the goal.
Maynard had been fronting up to Humphrey and was caught completely unaware when Long came from the side with a brutal hit to the ribs. Maynard took a while to get up as players came from all angles to remonstrate. The situation eventually diffused, but it kicked off again as soon as the half-time siren sounded.
Melee Escalates at Half-Time
Maynard, who appeared to say "you are f*****", charged towards Long. As he got close to his intended target, he pushed away umpire Brown, who was in the vicinity. Maynard and Long exchanged words during the fiery confrontation before they were pulled away by players from everywhere.
“This is out of control. The umpires can’t do anything,” Anthony Hudson said in commentary.
