AFL reveals fallback plan if sirens fail to be heard by umpires
THE AFL has installed six additional siren banks at Adelaide Oval to ensure fans, players and umpires can hear the siren.
The decision comes just two weeks after Adelaide's Josh Jenkins kicked a controversial goal against Collingwood right on the three-quarter time siren.
AFL football operations manager Mark Evans said it has also brought in an extra fallback, after trialling for the siren to be played directly into the umpires' earpieces.
The timekeeper will act as a back-up and call 'siren' to the umpires through the earpiece to ensure they know the siren is gone if any technical impediments arise.
"The increase in number of banks has boosted the sound at Adelaide Oval slightly but to circumvent any delay issues stopping umpires immediately hearing the siren at Adelaide Oval or the MCG, we've implemented that [process of alerting umpires through the earpiece] so it should alleviate any delay concerns," Evans said.
The new system will be in place at Adelaide Oval and the MCG and is able to be implemented at other venues if necessary.
The AFL believes it will avoid a repeat of the incident involving Jenkins.
Most people watching the broadcast that night thought Jenkins kicked the ball after the siren, but the AFL deemed afterwards that the ball had, in fact, been kicked before the siren.
The respective coaches, players and spectators however struggled to hear the siren such was the noise of the crowd at the packed Adelaide Oval and the AFL conceded it was an issue.
The effect of additional siren banks was tested last week and an increase in the level of decibels was reached.
The loudness of the sirens must adhere to safety levels so the volume is restricted to a certain range.
The average crowd at Adelaide Oval this season has been 45,618 and the atmosphere at the ground has been unprecedented.
The AFL today launched its new online retail site, ShopAFL as the most comprehensive online destination for AFL fans wishing to purchase authorised AFL retail products.
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