AFL round five 2026, scores, results, odds, stats and start time from Barossa Park, Lyndoch in South Australia

The AFL’s Review System has come under fire after the ARC was used more than 10 times during Thursday night’s clash between Carlton and Adelaide.

Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley and Adelaide premiership captain Mark Bickley described overuse of ARC as a waste of time.

“He’s already lost his way,” Hinkley said of the ARC on SEN.

“Once you open it, you make a huge mess. I think we’re exaggerating.”

Hinkley said the review system was not being used as new AFL football boss Greg Swann intended.

“The last touch rule came in to keep the game flowing,” Hinkley said. “He’s keeping the game afloat right now.”

Hinkley said referees and boundary umpires should not waste time with confusing events.

One of the standout moments on Thursday night was Crows forward Alex Neal-Bullen’s decision to hand-flick the football to Ollie Florent’s leg so that the ball would go completely over the boundary line.

The referees were initially unsure, but after a short delay the ARC awarded the free kick to Neal-Bullen.

“Just throw it away,” Hinkley said. “Put the ball back in play.”

Adelaide star Mark Bickley agreed with SEN and said the ARC should not be reviewing situations where the ball “grazes the shoelace” before crossing the boundary line.

But Hinkley said he agreed to use ARC during the statute of limitations in the last quarter.