Is Nick Riewoldt deliberately favoured by umpires?

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

First off, this is a serious thread. I’ve always thought Riewoldt and the umpires had a fairly good relationship, but I had no idea it was as bad / obvious as the statistics suggest.

I tried to get all the major full and centre half forwards currently playing. As you can see, no one is even in the same league as Riewoldt when it comes to free for to against ratio. Riewoldt has a 3:1 ratio with no other forward even at 1.5:1 . It's quite phenomenal how far ahead of the other forwards he actually is.

Is Riewoldt blatantly favoured by the umpires? Is he just flat out miles better than any other forward at not conceding free kicks? What does everyone put it down to?

Take a look:

[COLOR=red][COLOR=red][COLOR=red]
Lance Franklin - 76 FF, 191 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Barry Hall - 175 FF, 330 FA[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red]Cameron Mooney - 120 FF, 192 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red][COLOR=red]Anthony Rocca - 150 FF, 226 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red][COLOR=red]Jarryd Roughead - 53 FF, 76 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]Justin Koschitzke - 112 FF, 147 FA[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red][COLOR=red]Matthew Lloyd - 238 FF, 291 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red][COLOR=red]Brendan Fevola - 162 FF, 190 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red]Scott Lucas - 183 FF, 207 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red]Matthew Pavlich - 177 FF, 190 FA
Matthew Richardson - 244 FF, 260 FA
[/COLOR]Brad Miller - 74 FF, 80 FA[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red][COLOR=red][COLOR=red]Jonathan Brown - 192 FF, 196 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=blue][COLOR=blue]Travis Cloke - 66 FF, 64 FA[/COLOR]
Brad Johnson - 194 FF, 190 FA
[COLOR=blue][COLOR=blue]Warren Tredrea - 218 FF, 180 FA
[/COLOR][/COLOR][COLOR=blue][COLOR=blue]Daniel Bradshaw - 96 FF, 70 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=blue]David Hale - 114 FF, 78 FA[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=green]Nick Riewoldt - 202 FF, 67 FA[/COLOR]

 

[Upgrayedd]

He's just soo horrible at judging the flight of the ball opponents cant help but accidently running into him when he jumps 10 seconds too early.

 

[Laser123]

It's just the result of the way he plays his footy - always in front leading his man to the ball and jumping early, marking the ball at it's highest point. Almost all of those frees for would be for pushing in the back or chopping the arms.

Pretty hard for him to give away free kicks in that situation

 

[Hinkley29]

No. Next question.

 

[my name was taken]

I wouldn't say Riewoldt is favoured much. He doesnt get much of a chance to give frees away, he just rarely ever has a wrestling marking contest which is where (from my observational opinion) 90% of free kicks against forwards occur. A lot of the forwards you menioned often try overpower their opponents for position, which a lot of the time is a 50 50 call for a free kick for either of the players, through holding,pushing and whatever else the umpires conjur up these days.

If people were to describe Nick's game it would be he comes in on a lead just about everytime. Therefore noone in front of him so he obviously can't give a free to someone behind him. Also in the best position for the 'hands in the back' and 'chopping the arms'. Yes he does recieve more frees, and the stats show that. But he presents more opportunities for the frees. If he was someone who fights for position on an incoming kick then the stats would not be so skew.


This will probably be written of as bias by most on here sadly. Its my opinion on why the stats say this.

And in the same vain as the OP you could also say "Umpires deliberatly penalise Buddy" go by the same stats at the other end. Does that mean Franklin's frees against arn't there? no. Just like does that mean Nicks Frees for arn't there? also no.

 

[DanA]

Reiwoldt is the king of repeat sprints. He's always moving and you rarely see him in a body on body situation. Because of this 90% of the time his opponent is behind him making it near on impossible for him to give away a free kick.

 

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

I know he's a hard worker that tries to play in front as much as possible, but he sure does take a lot of contested marks for someone that doesn't often get into body on body situations.

Contested marks:

1. Jonathan Brown 23
2. Nick Riewoldt 22
3. Matthew Lloyd 20

 

[DanA]

I know he's a hard worker that tries to play in front as much as possible, but he sure does take a lot of contested marks for someone that doesn't often get into body on body situations.

Contested marks:

1. Jonathan Brown 23
2. Nick Riewoldt 22
3. Matthew Lloyd 20

Yep and how many of those contested marks would you say he has his feet on the ground? I'd say at a guess less than four compared to Brown probably greater than 50% of them. If you are jumping into a contest it's a contested mark but it's not body on body.

 

[my name was taken]

Yep and how many of those contested marks would you say he has his feet on the ground? I'd say at a guess less than four compared to Brown probably greater than 50% of them. If you are jumping into a contest it's a contested mark but it's not body on body.

Yup, jumping and eyes on the ball rarely give frees. Unless it's an early/late jump onto someones back. But he doesn't take screamers often anyway.

 

[Tomorrows_Nobody]

You can't say a player is delibirately favoured by an umpire, but it's pretty hard to ignore a player throw his hands in the air like the wacky waving arm flailing inflatable tube man.

 

[The Casey Cat]

It's just the result of the way he plays his footy - always in front leading his man to the ball and jumping early, marking the ball at it's highest point. Almost all of those frees for would be for pushing in the back or chopping the arms.

Pretty hard for him to give away free kicks in that situation

Tend to agree. Is just the way he attacks it. You don't see him having to shove from the back or getting into scragging/wrestling duels which gets the other forwards there into trouble and frustrated. He is always in good position or leaping at the ball from in front or the side so he is in a good position to get a free and will rarely give one away. He is not favored there is nothing unfair about it.

 

[ShinSplints]

NO - All reiwoldt is IS the BEST CHF in the league.

Seriously how good is this kid???

Best captain... most courageous player in the leaugue no mark he wouldnt go for.

ON YA SAINTS ... 9-0 so much for the carlton and richmond comebacks... face it boys your window has well and truly started and you still suk!! time to rebuild.. AGAIN??

 

[J_Moore]

[COLOR=red]Barry Hall - 175 FF, 330 FA[/COLOR]

I?

Go Barry! You can make 350!!!

Any idea what the record FA against is?

 

[the dog's kennel]

Go Barry! You can make 350!!!

Any idea what the record FA against is?

whatever it is, Franklin will break it.

191 FAs at his age is extraordinary.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

whatever it is, Franklin will break it.

191 FAs at his age is extraordinary.

Not half as extraordinary as some of the things he gets pinged for. If Buddy spends more time in the midfield, those figures will alter.

 

[The Fireman]

You can't say a player is delibirately favoured by an umpire, but it's pretty hard to ignore a player throw his hands in the air like the wacky waving arm flailing inflatable tube man.

lmao

PS Hard to give away frees when you only have eyes for the ball.

 

[JeffDunne]

Matthew Lloyd - 238 FF, 291 FA

How many of those 238 would have been a trademark Lloyd dive?

I'm guessing well over 100.

 

[Tom12]

He's just soo horrible at judging the flight of the ball opponents cant help but accidently running into him when he jumps 10 seconds too early.

Oh yeah you never see him taking contested marks or anything.


Roo has led the comp in marks for the last 3 years, he pushes hard to the ball, and defenders have a hard time stopping that, so illegally pushing and chopping is a defenders viable option.

 

[PHX]

Not at all.

It just shows the reward that you get when you play the man in front more than anyone else and have a vertical leap that is so advantageous you don't need to put hands in back or make an unrealistic attempt in the rare occasion you are behind or have to crash a pack.

 

[Riewoldting]

Is Nick Riewoldt deliberately favoured by umpires?

No. The reason he gets so may free kicks is because his work rate and ultimately how many targets he presents each game. Defenders have to follow him around so closely that they're bound to chop his arms or push him in the back when he leaps in the air at full stride. The reason he has so little frees against is because he can contain his anger and does not feel the need to punch or push his opponent everytime he loses the ball. ie: HALL and FRANKLIN.

And furthermore, there is more evidence to suggest he is not favoured by the umpires by looking at the brownlow medal last year.

Last year, He had 25 disposals, 18 marks, 3 goals against fremantle and had a gameday ranking of 169! HE GOT 0 VOTES

Again last year, He had 24 disposals, 14 marks and a goal against kangaroos with a gameday ranking of 146! HE GOT 0 VOTES

Case closed.

 

[Harvey's Crew]

Is Nick Riewoldt deliberately favoured by umpires?

No. The reason he gets so may free kicks is because his work rate and ultimately how many targets he presents each game. Defenders have to follow him around so closely that they're bound to chop his arms or push him in the back when he leaps in the air at full stride. The reason he has so little frees against is because he can contain his anger and does not feel the need to punch or push his opponent everytime he loses the ball. ie: HALL and FRANKLIN.

And furthermore, there is more evidence to suggest he is not favoured by the umpires by looking at the brownlow medal last year.

Last year, He had 25 disposals, 18 marks, 3 goals against fremantle and had a gameday ranking of 169! HE GOT 0 VOTES

Again last year, He had 24 disposals, 14 marks and a goal against kangaroos with a gameday ranking of 146! HE GOT 0 VOTES

Case closed.

Amen.

 

[The Spike]

FFS - Bay 13.

Its a bit rich for a bummer supporter to be trolling about umpire favouritism, when 90% of the free kicks that Lloyd receives is when he goes into his customary swan dive with that stupid startled squirrel look on his face.

 

[The Fireman]

FFS - Bay 13.

Its a bit rich for a bummer supporter to be trolling about umpire favouritism, when 90% of the free kicks that Lloyd receives is when he goes into his customary swan dive with that stupid startled squirrel look on his face.

Don't be too hasty, this thread is highlighting just how good Roo is.

 

[Lach72]

The interesting ones he gets are the arm chops...gets them every time.

Now watch Sandi when he goes forward and compare the arm chops and the lack of frees...just sayin'

 

[budge11]

The arm chopping rule still exists? Tell Hale that