Max Gawn Weighs In on Tribunal Talk and Umpire Dissent Crackdown
There’s been a lot of chatter recently about tribunal decisions and how the AFL is clamping down—again—on umpire dissent. And if you’ve been following SEN Breakfast, you'd know that Max Gawn has found himself right in the thick of the debate.
So let’s break it down, because this isn’t just about one incident or one player—this is about how the game is being shaped right now. First, the Steven May tribunal discussion. May’s bump on Francis Evans has triggered debate about whether or not it deserves suspension. We’ve seen similar cases go either way in recent weeks, which makes this situation feel a bit like déjà vu. Was it careless? Was it high? Was there sufficient force? All the criteria the Match Review Officer uses are being dissected—and Max Gawn didn’t shy away from giving his thoughts on it.
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Gawn, always considered a calm and calculated voice in footy, pointed out how critical consistency is. He emphasized that players need to know exactly what’s allowed and what isn’t. If May cops a week for that bump, then the league better be ready to treat similar actions with the same severity going forward. It’s not just about protecting players—it’s about making the adjudication process predictable and fair.
Then there’s the issue of umpire dissent. This has been simmering for a while now, but it’s flared up again recently. According to Max, the AFL is sending clear signals that it won’t tolerate even minor gestures of disagreement. Whether it’s a shrug, a look, or a word—if it seems like dissent, it’s being penalised.
He acknowledged the need to respect umpires and maintain order, but raised concerns about whether the crackdown is going too far. Are we sanitising the game to a point where natural reactions are being punished? That’s the real tension here. You want players to be passionate and expressive, but you also want to uphold the spirit of the game. Gawn, like many, is walking that fine line between accepting the rules and challenging the grey areas within them.
The broader discussion coming out of SEN Breakfast is clear: the AFL has a tightrope to walk. Between tribunal rulings like May’s and their approach to umpire dissent, they’re trying to balance player safety, respect for officials, and the emotional fabric of footy.
Max Gawn’s take doesn’t come with loud controversy—it comes with leadership. And his voice adds something the game always needs: a reasoned, reflective view from someone who’s seen it all on the field.
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