{"id":1398,"date":"2025-07-17T21:24:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T21:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/1398\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T21:24:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T21:24:12","slug":"afl-umpire-brent-wallace-shares-rare-insight-into-brownlow-votes-discussion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/1398\/","title":{"rendered":"AFL umpire Brent Wallace shares rare insight into Brownlow votes discussion"},"content":{"rendered":"

The AFL<\/a> field umpires who officiated GWS\u2019s win over Essendon on Thursday night<\/a> have provided rare insight into their post-match routine.<\/p>\n

Viewers almost never hear from the umpires after a game, but Brent Wallace, Nick Brown, Andrew Gianfagna and Nick McGinness welcomed Channel 7\u2019s cameras and commentator Brian Taylor into their rooms for a fascinating chat.<\/p>\n

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Roaming Brian chats to the AFL umpires.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today \"Download<\/a><\/p>\n

Wallace revealed the first point of call immediately after a game is the discussion around Brownlow Medal votes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe come straight in and lock away the room and get straight into the Brownlow, that\u2019s the first thing we like to lock away, make sure it\u2019s done and dusted,\u201d he told Channel 7.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll four of us have input and we make sure we take notes on the game and come together and go through each player from both teams.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"UmpireUmpire Brent Wallace chats to Brian Taylor. Credit: Channel 7<\/p>\n

As has widely been reported over the years, the umpires do not have access to player stats after the match.<\/p>\n

Wallace admitted the lack of stats can make the process \u201cchallenging\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is (hard) and some days are quite challenging for us and some days are really easy for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe great thing is we have the four of us and we can work together to get the right outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

The four umpires also receive feedback from coach Bryan Sheehan.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe comes in and gives us a bit of feedback on how the game went, if there was any trends we need to watch as part of our review and what we need to do over the next couple of days to review the game,\u201d Wallace said.<\/p>\n

The AFL have cracked down on umpire contact this year with a rule change allowing players to be sent to the tribunal for four instances over a two-year period.<\/p>\n

Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra was the first player to face the tribunal since the change and was handed a $5500 fine as a result.<\/p>\n

There was one incident of note during Thursday night\u2019s clash, with Jake Stringer making contact with umpire Brown after a ball-up.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we try to do everything we can to clear that space and sometimes they get caught up in it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes it\u2019s just wrong place, wrong time.\u201d<\/p>\n

While sometimes the umpires have been accused of being at fault for contact, Wallace insisted they are doing their best to get out of the way<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still in the early years of the four-umpire system and we\u2019re always trying to evolve the system and make sure that we\u2019re trying to stay out of the players\u2019 way as much as possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the same time, there\u2019s that little passage that we need to make sure we get out of the way for the players.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jake Stringer has another laugh at hapless former teammate<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

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Toby Greene called out for raising studs in marking contest<\/p>\n

1 min read<\/p>\n

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