‘Disgrace’: Umpire bias, poaching allegations rock AFL Townsville
An outgoing coach has launched an extraordinary attack on AFL Townsville, accusing umpires of bias, rival clubs of ‘poaching’ and the league of doing nothing about it. Read his allegations.
Outgoing University coach Rick Bean has slammed the treatment of the club by the Townsville Aussie rules community as a “disgrace” and urged Hawks leadership to stand up for the club in 2024.
Bean took over as the club’s senior coach in 2023 but has departed the region after one season to pursue work opportunities in the Northern Territory.
He took aim at AFL Townsville’s umpires, governing body and rival clubs for structural issues he said ensured the Hawks could not rise above their station as finals bridesmaids.
“When I say what I say now, I don’t have to hide anything,” Bean said.
“I thought what happened to University this year, and what I saw, was a disgrace.
“There is something there that people just don’t want University to succeed.”
Bean accused AFL Townsville’s volunteer umpires of bias against his side, culminating in the Hawks 9.10 (64) to 4.5 (29) elimination final defeat to Curra.
Bean was issued with a ‘white card’ for umpire dissent after a passage of play where umpires declined to penalise a sling tackle against a Hawks player, moments after failing to award University a 50m penalty for Curra slowing down the game.
“I remonstrated at that point and I got a white card for it,” he said.
“We didn’t get love from the umpires all year to tell you the truth. It is so wrong and I made that quite clear (to AFL Townsville). Nothing came of that - ‘we’ll look at it next year’ - but that’s how it goes, and I can say that because I’m no longer there.”
Bean said the sorry state of University’s home ground at James Cook University, still lacking electricity in the clubrooms, had facilitated the poaching of key recruits by rivals and presented a threat to the viability of the competition.
University last played at JCU in 2019, and since 2021 have shared Thuringowa’s home base at Riverway Stadium - an arrangement Bean blamed for the loss of three recruits this season.
“Have a look at the signage around the ground and there is not one sign for University,” Bean said.
“Players walk in off the street and go straight to Thuringowa. We had three players who wanted to sign for the Hawks and Thuringowa approached them and poached them away from us.
“Soon, and I hope it’s not, you might only have a four team competition. Once you have four, you’ll have three and then you won’t have a competition.
“There's a lot of things wrong there. We had no bar, no food, but the culture is brilliant because they hung in there. It’s a club with so much life to it but it just needs help and guidance and no-one is willing to do that.
“I’ve spoken to the University leadership group and I’m hoping they stand up next year.”
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An AFL Queensland spokeswoman said the Hawks and AFL Queensland had a “great working relationship.”
“The University Hawks and AFL Queensland have proactively collaborated during the 2023 season,” a statement read.
“AFL Queensland has assisted the club in sourcing new and alternate training venues and will continue to work with the Hawks and all existing clubs to support their growth.”
Originally published as ‘Disgrace’: Umpire bias, poaching allegations rock AFL Townsville
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