Umpire clash: Adam Cerra at risk of unwanted first after costly blue

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Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra is in danger of becoming the first player to be referred to the tribunal for making umpire contact since the AFL’s crackdown on such incidents.

Cerra is waiting to see if he will be cited by the match review officer on Friday for a collision with an umpire just before half-time in the Blues’ heavy loss to the Brisbane Lions.

As it would be the fourth time Cerra has made careless contact with an umpire in the past two years, if cited, the AFL can send him to the tribunal, where he would run the gauntlet of a suspension or an increase on the standard $5000 fine for a third offence.

The Blues could also be fined $5000, exempt from the soft cap, under new guidelines which came into effect at the start of the month as part of a push by the AFL to reduce umpire contact from players.

Cerra, while guarding dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale, had his back turned to umpire Rob O’Gorman and collided with the whistleblower, who was backing out of the stoppage after the ball-up in accordance with umpire coaching guidelines. Though there appeared to be light contact from Neale, but it may not be enough to reduce Cerra’s culpability.

But defender Lachie Cowan is likely to escape sanction after his contact with umpire Andrew Heffernan, who got in his way while the Blue was attempting to mark a lateral kick from a teammate.

Essendon coach Brad Scott fumed last week after his star forward Nate Caddy collided with an umpire who had accidentally stepped into his path. Scott, a former AFL football boss, said he has repeatedly asked the league to direct umpires not to stand in the corridor as that was where clubs sought to move the ball.

Gold Coast star Matt Rowell said last week that he would not be changing his positioning at stoppage despite the league’s harder line.

The AFL is seeking to change player behaviour and attitudes towards contact with umpires at stoppage. As reported by this masthead last week, there are concerns some clubs are using the umpires as a screen to break a tag on their star midfielders.

It comes after an escalation in collisions between players and umpires in the past two years. There were 63 charges laid for careless contact with an umpire this year before the tougher rules came in place for round 17, up from 56 last year and 20 in 2023.

“We are seeing far too many instances of avoidable umpire contact, and since writing to clubs on this issue in February and again in April we have not seen a change in behaviour, and in fact seen an increase in umpire contact,” AFL chief Andrew Dillon said at earlier this month.

“We have an obligation to provide the best working environment for everyone, including the umpires, and there have been too many instances of avoidable umpire contact.”