I will openly state my agenda here.
At least three of Stephen Hocking’s responsibilities in his role as General Manager Football Operations are clearly conflicted by his history and links with the Geelong Football Club.
The first, and most important in my opinion, is his role in directly overseeing rule changes. It is apparent that people at Geelong are in a position to influence his thinking more than people from any other club. Who knows whether they have or not. But there is a clear conflict apparent.
The second, is his role overseeing the umpiring department, where it must be noted the long standing umpire’s advisor Hayden Kennedy recently and suddenly stepped down, from memory, citing “exhaustion.” His boss was Stephen Hocking.
The third, and most instantly topical, and at this point most clearly controversial, is his role as final decision maker in Match Review Officer cases.
I am going to call into question three MRO decisions relating to matches involving Geelong FC, for which Hocking had ultimate direct responsibility. In each case the Geelong player involved was a key player for them.
1 Dangerfield raised forearm severe impact to Vlastuin’s face in the Grand Final, knocking him out. MRO result: No case. IMO should have been tested at the Tribunal as should all raised arm severe impact cases resulting from a voluntary movement by the player in question.
2 Hawkins elbow to May’s face in a tackle resulting in a fractured eye socket so severe impact. MRO result: No case. IMO should have been tested at the Tribunal.
3 Holman’s perfectly executed run down tackle on Duncan. MRO result: Two week suspension. Nothing further needs to be said, everyone knows the Tribunal will overturn this decision that has been universally condemned without exception from what I have seen and heard.
So 3 key players for the Cats, Dangerfield, Hawkins, Duncan. Of the three cases the two waved through were in my opinion unarguably more questionable than the one penalised. In all cases the decision has gone in favour of protecting the key Geelong player.
For anyone unfamiliar with Hocking’s links to Geelong FC….he played his entire 199 game career with Geelong, retiring after the Cat’s third Grand Final loss in 6 seasons in 1994. He later served Geelong FC in several roles as listed below from 2004:
2004-05 match committee chairman.
2006 - returned to Geelong full time as Training Services Manager, responsible for the planning, management and implementation of all training services for the club.
2010 - Assistant General Manager Football Operations to support Neil Balme.
2013 - General Manager of Team Performance.
2014 – General Manager of Commercial Operations.
2015-2017 - General Manager of Football.
He has no known involvement with any other club in the AFL. He was employed in his various roles including as a player by the Geelong FC for 25 years in total between 1984 and 2017. I have heard interviews with both Hocking and Chris Scott
saying the two are very close.
It matters not whether Hocking is deliberately or consciously making decisions to favour or protect Geelong FC. It is a clear conflict of interest with some of his direct responsibilities and as such he should have no direct input to decisions in the three areas I have highlighted. There are ways of achieving this without removing him from his role, if that is seen as the best way to handle it.
The AFL needs to tidy this up. Remember, in regard to the MRO decisions, Hocking has the final say. So we know for sure every decision the MRO makes is Hocking’s position, but we have no certain idea if these decisions also reflect MRO Michael Christian’s position….
At least three of Stephen Hocking’s responsibilities in his role as General Manager Football Operations are clearly conflicted by his history and links with the Geelong Football Club.
The first, and most important in my opinion, is his role in directly overseeing rule changes. It is apparent that people at Geelong are in a position to influence his thinking more than people from any other club. Who knows whether they have or not. But there is a clear conflict apparent.
The second, is his role overseeing the umpiring department, where it must be noted the long standing umpire’s advisor Hayden Kennedy recently and suddenly stepped down, from memory, citing “exhaustion.” His boss was Stephen Hocking.
The third, and most instantly topical, and at this point most clearly controversial, is his role as final decision maker in Match Review Officer cases.
I am going to call into question three MRO decisions relating to matches involving Geelong FC, for which Hocking had ultimate direct responsibility. In each case the Geelong player involved was a key player for them.
1 Dangerfield raised forearm severe impact to Vlastuin’s face in the Grand Final, knocking him out. MRO result: No case. IMO should have been tested at the Tribunal as should all raised arm severe impact cases resulting from a voluntary movement by the player in question.
2 Hawkins elbow to May’s face in a tackle resulting in a fractured eye socket so severe impact. MRO result: No case. IMO should have been tested at the Tribunal.
3 Holman’s perfectly executed run down tackle on Duncan. MRO result: Two week suspension. Nothing further needs to be said, everyone knows the Tribunal will overturn this decision that has been universally condemned without exception from what I have seen and heard.
So 3 key players for the Cats, Dangerfield, Hawkins, Duncan. Of the three cases the two waved through were in my opinion unarguably more questionable than the one penalised. In all cases the decision has gone in favour of protecting the key Geelong player.
For anyone unfamiliar with Hocking’s links to Geelong FC….he played his entire 199 game career with Geelong, retiring after the Cat’s third Grand Final loss in 6 seasons in 1994. He later served Geelong FC in several roles as listed below from 2004:
2004-05 match committee chairman.
2006 - returned to Geelong full time as Training Services Manager, responsible for the planning, management and implementation of all training services for the club.
2010 - Assistant General Manager Football Operations to support Neil Balme.
2013 - General Manager of Team Performance.
2014 – General Manager of Commercial Operations.
2015-2017 - General Manager of Football.
He has no known involvement with any other club in the AFL. He was employed in his various roles including as a player by the Geelong FC for 25 years in total between 1984 and 2017. I have heard interviews with both Hocking and Chris Scott
PLAYERCARDSTART
Chris Scott
- Age
- 47
- Ht
- 182cm
- Wt
- 89kg
- Pos.
- Fwd
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 16.6
- 4star
- K
- 11.2
- 4star
- HB
- 5.4
- 4star
- M
- 5.1
- 5star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
- G
- 0.4
- 3star
No current season stats available
- D
- 13.2
- 4star
- K
- 10.2
- 4star
- HB
- 3.0
- 3star
- M
- 2.2
- 3star
- T
- 2.8
- 5star
- G
- 0.4
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
It matters not whether Hocking is deliberately or consciously making decisions to favour or protect Geelong FC. It is a clear conflict of interest with some of his direct responsibilities and as such he should have no direct input to decisions in the three areas I have highlighted. There are ways of achieving this without removing him from his role, if that is seen as the best way to handle it.
The AFL needs to tidy this up. Remember, in regard to the MRO decisions, Hocking has the final say. So we know for sure every decision the MRO makes is Hocking’s position, but we have no certain idea if these decisions also reflect MRO Michael Christian’s position….
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