Confusion reigns over AFL's crackdown on dissent over umpire decisions

Debate continues to rage in the AFL over umpires taking a stronger stance against dissent.

Over the weekend, players were penalised for visibly expressing frustration over umpires' decisions.

In Brisbane's nailbiting win over Collingwood on Thursday, Harris Andrews conceded a 50-metre penalty for opening his arms after a holding decision went against his side.

«Arms out is 50, mate,» the umpire told Andrews by way of explanation.

That hardline stance appeared to go missing over the course of the rest of the weekend, only to resurface on Easter Monday during the MCG thriller between Geelong and Hawthorn.

Hawks players Tom Mitchell and Jack Gunston pointed to the big screen after Cats forward Tom Hawkins won a dubious free kick for blocking despite what appeared to be an outrageous dive.

The Cats were awarded a 50m penalty for the Hawks' protestations.

Critics say the interpretation of the dissent rule needs a complete overhaul, while others point to the AFL's claim that the game is short 6,000 umpires nationally, with one of the reasons being increased abuse.

An AFL review from late 2021 showed abuse was the eighth most common reason for umpires leaving the game, at 6 per cent.

Outgoing AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan called for a crackdown on dissent at the start of the season.

«Frankly, I take responsibility for the fact it's got away from us,» McLachlan said.

«We are not going to tolerate the abuse of umpires.»

The AFL's crackdown has caused some consternation, with the AFL appearing to blur the line between clear dissent and frustration over a decision. 

So how do other sports handle the issue?

Despite dissent being a punishable offence in the rules of most — if not all sports, other codes are far more lenient when it terms to