This comment explains everything;
In a deal struck with the AFL umpires' association, the league determined that it was too difficult to assess performance properly from a list management perspective given the disrupted nature of the season
If the League can not assess an umpires performance, when all umpires are supposed to be interpreting the rules from the same laws of the game rule book, they are not competent to be running the game. Ditto for umpires and their performances.
The other worrying indication is that the League is doing deals with people in the game. Have they also done a deal with Adam Simpson? or GWS? or Brisbane Lions?