Goldspink is adamant that,despite the AFL stating there was a shortage of 6000 umpires at grassroots level,the figure is actually much higher,and he fears the shortage could threaten the health and safety of active umpires. But he admits he doesn’t know what the solution is.
“In isolation what the AFL is trying to do is fair enough,I think,and we all know the reasons why they do that,” Goldspink told SEN on Tuesday.
“But to me it seems like it’s having exactly the opposite effect at the moment. It’s just putting more pressure on umpires.
“Abuse is an individual thing ... it’s a very grey area,and we need to make it black and white,but having said that,I don’t think what they’re trying to do within the AFL is helping at the grassroots level.
“I’ve been involved at the grassroots level the last 10 years,I haven’t been the last couple of years,but umpiring is bleeding in the suburbs and that number of 6000 is grossly under exaggerated from what I’ve seen.