THE AFL umpiring department is content with the way its charges are officiating the contentious ruck nomination rule.
There have been several incidents of confusion this season over which player has nominated for the ruck contest.
Head umpires coach Hayden Kennedy conceded that while there have been some misunderstandings, he believed umpires and players would adjust to the rule.
With a 'third man up' at ruck stoppages outlawed this season, the rule requires a player from each team to nominate for the contest, and only those two players can compete for the ball.
"We're working really hard at getting it as best as what we possibly can, and I think we're going pretty well at the moment," Kennedy told AFL.com.au's Whistleblowers program.
"If you look at the averages, (there's) around about 60-65 stoppages (per game) in which ruckman nominate. So if you multiply that by nine games (each round there's an estimated) 540, and (the confusion) is only happening on the few occasions we see.
"The thing for us is that - and we've stressed this through JLT (Community Series) until last week – we need to continue using the ruckman's names."
"We all need to let it take its time, (because) it's an evolving thing and a new rule."
When asked if the umpiring department would like a review of the rule, Kennedy said his department would continue to abide by the game's rulebook.
"I keep on saying this, but we will do whatever the rules committee tells us to do," Kennedy said.
"All those rules and regulations are made up by people in a much better position than I am."
Other issues discussed on the round four edition of Whistleblowers include:
- Deliberate out-of-bounds free kicks paid against Fremantle's Shane Kersten and Essendon's David Zaharakis
- Hawthorn's Josh Gibson penalised for a deliberate rushed behind
