There is talk today of big changes to one of the AFL’s oldest rules and it has former Richmond and Western Bulldogs star Nathan Brown fired up.
Following the recent introduction of the league’s first female umpire, there has been talk bubbling under the surface of scrapping the game’s iconic centre bounce because it is difficult for some women to find the strength to bounce the ball high enough for players.
Other umpires, including men, are said to be all for the idea because the bounce sometimes hurts their backs.
A group of umpires are already said to be preparing an official request to eradicate the rule under Occupational health and safety grounds.
Instead, they want to be able to simply throw the ball in the air.
Brown has rubbished the idea though, telling Channel 7 the umpires need to toughen up.
“I can’t believe this,” Brown said on Sunday.
“It’s political correctness gone mad.
“We’re too keen in this industry to put our arm around somebody and say it’s OK, let’s find the easier way to do it.
“If you play in the forward line and you’re paid to kick goals, but you miss the goals all the time, you don’t play AFL football — it’s part of their job.
“They just need to practice it and get better at it and do the job they are paid to do.”
There was anger among some fans last week after the AFL’s first female umpire, Eleni Glouftsis, chose to throw the ball into the air in the second half because the recently laid turf made it difficult to bounce it high enough.