ST KILDA coach Alan Richardson has again called for an overhaul of the deliberate rushed behind rule in the wake of Saturday night's contentious call.
The AFL has ticked off the decision to penalise Richmond defender Jayden Short for a deliberate rushed behind just before half-time of the Dreamtime at the 'G clash.
With 40 seconds remaining in the second term, Essendon third-gamer James Stewart attempted to kick a long-range goal by bombing the ball inside a vacant forward 50.
The rolling ball stopped just a couple of metres short in the goalsquare, as Tiger Jayden Short led Bomber Josh Green in a thrilling foot race.
Short slid forward and pushed the loose ball over the line – unaware Green had given up the chase – and was penalised by umpire Curtis Deboy for a deliberate rushed behind.
Green converted the resultant free kick from point-blank range, gifting the Bombers a four-point lead at half-time.
When asked about the controversial call, Richardson said he would be in favour of penalising a player who deliberately rushed the ball over, irrespective of pressure.
"I really don't like the look," Richardson told Fox Footy on Monday night.
"In the spirit of our game where we didn't like blokes deliberately ducking and playing for free kicks, and we watched the World Cup in soccer and we sit there as AFL fans and go, 'Why do they fall over?' We don't like that.
"So I would take any of the grey out and adjudicate that … like you do on the boundary line. And that is, if you rush it, that's deliberate.
"Now, the defender, he has no doubt. So even if Green is closing really aggressively and not backing off and being smart, you're going to keep it alive because you know that – even if it's only a foot – you can't rush it over.
Geelong coach Chris Scott was not fully sold on Richardson's idea.
"But if we did that, the penalty is too heavy, isn't it?" Scott replied.
"If we said, 'Let's make it black and white and if you rush it, it's deliberate and the interpretation goes out of it', then surely it should be a bounce 15m out."
The Channel Seven broadcast captured umpire Deboy explaining the decision to Tigers captain Trent Cotchin, saying Short had a "four-metre gap" on Green and "was not under immediate pressure" when he forced the ball across the line.
The controversial decision drew instant comparisons to the umpiring call made in round two when Sydney defender Callum Mills was penalised against the Western Bulldogs for punching the ball through without being under immediate physical pressure.
Mills was in the goalsquare when he forced the ball through but the nearest Bulldog, Liam Picken, was a couple of metres away.
