Football: Verbal abuse garners club fine

Royals Football Club has been fined for umpire abuse in their round 11 clash with Denmark-Walpole at Tigerland.

The club was fined after their playing bench verbally abusing central umpires Ross Barnett and Darren Lloyd.

Great Southern Football League president Bruce Richardson has confirmed the fine, but refused to disclose the figure, but it is believed to be a substantial amount.

“The issue the league has dealt with was the verbal abuse emanating from the Royals bench immediately prior to three quarter time, directed towards the central umpires,” Richardson said.

Richardson stressed that no officials were reported in the incident, with the umpires noting down the incident on the match report, from which the GSFL then dealt with accordingly.

He believed both umpires are satisfied with the sanction and confirmed all clubs have been reminded of their obligations in regard to umpire abuse and their playing bench.

GSFL umpires boss Terry Eaton said he was happy the league had acted on the incident.

“We are not so worried about the penalty but happy the league has done something,” he said.

“We make a decision, good, bad or ugly, at the end of the day we have to abide by that decision.”

Eaton said his umpires were not immune to making mistakes, but there was not the depth to drop or bring in umpires like the AFL and was glad he had not lost either umpire from the incident on June 19.

RFC president Barry Panizza said he had not received anything official yet in regards to the incident.

“I haven’t got anything official yet but I believe we are receiving a penalty,” he said.

“We have already addressed the issue in the past two weeks.”

Want to comment on this story? Email Cameron.newbold@albanyadvertiser.com