Hocking did not say how tackling could be reduced, although he did also speak about the AFL’s continued interest in reducing congestion around the ball and spreading the field. ‘‘We need more time on that, to understand it [tackling]. But people should take some confidence that we are looking at the right things.’’ Hocking pointed out that there were 161 tackles in a game last weekend — his comments following those from dual Brownlow medallist Greg Williams, who told Channel Nine that he did not like the modern emphasis on tackling. The AFL, meanwhile, aims to have a custom-built centre that would handle score reviews, match review officer decisions, concussions and real-time umpire coaching in place for the upcoming finals series.

Hocking revealed that the AFL was still looking for a venue that would act as what he called ‘‘a review centre’’ and that this would be ready for the finals. ‘‘The game needs it,’’ Hocking said of the review centre, which would speed up score reviews, match reviews and improve the assessment of umpires, bringing them more into line with the way clubs reviewed games. Hocking expressed confidence that the facility would be ready for the finals, even though the AFL had yet to finalise a venue. Hocking said the review centre – which was also yet to be named, but would not be called ‘‘the bunker’’ as the NRL version was – would accommodate score review and match review officials, AFL doctors who would make concussion assessments and umpire coaches who would provide real-time advice to umpires during matches. ‘‘We’ll wait and see where we end up,’’ the AFL football operations chief said of the review centre.

Hocking said the number of score review officials would be reduced, from 15 to ‘‘four or five’’ of the ‘‘best decision-makers’’. He acknowledged that the mistakes in score reviews this year had ‘‘hurt the game’’ but he believed the AFL was ‘‘on top of it’’ now. In a briefing that covered the impact of new rules, future changes and the look of the game, plus the AFL’s plans for the struggling Gold Coast, Hocking also revealed: ■The creation of a review centre for the finals coincides with a review of umpiring that has the AFL considering radical changes to the way the game is umpired – such as using boundary umpires to make decisions on field – as Hocking seeks to better resource and improve umpiring.

He said the umpires did an excellent job, but ‘‘they need more resources to keep pace’’ with the game’s evolution. But the concept of making significant changes to umpiring – such as utilising boundary umpires in paying frees – would not be considered until after 2021, ‘‘if at all’’.