AFL 2019 Round 3: Melbourne v Essendon, 7:50pm AEDT MCG

[Doashuey]

Love the fact that there will always be a team in more inept of winning a premiership more than Freo...... thank you Dees, you keep me sane.

How do you figure? Freo havent been around as long but the Dees do have flags. At worst they are equally inept as neither have one in the AFL era.

 

[Masher]

Gawns marking around the ground was way too low

 

[docko911]

The umpiring issue seems like a clear attempt by the AFL to control scoring and ensure the tv networks get their advertising revenue.

I don’t think they will stop at anything to get scoring up, and so far the new rule changes have done little to increase scoring.

All I’m saying is.... get used to more free kicks!

 

[Kanga Commando]

<snip>
All I’m saying is.... get used to more free kicks!
</snip>

On face value i would agree with you - i dont suppose there are any stats around for this ?

Imho the AFL have tinkered with the game too much. Now the umpires have to make far more subjective and opinion based calls - leading to the free kick count you mentioned.

Just a theory.

 

[caspian]

The complaining about the number of frees requires some historical blindness.

71 free kicks paid in the 1977 GF.

50 paid in the all time best ever you beaut 1989 GF (so one less than this game)

78 (!) paid in 1973, etc etc.

47 in 1993, not too different.

Now if we're talking about the quality of frees that's another thing. But historically it's not a crazy high number.

Free kicks are great for reducing congestion and getting the game flowing again. Again, it's not a comment on whether last night had good umpiring- I personally thought it was bafflingly inconsistent, weird mix of very soft and then some obvious stuff not being called, etc. But yeah, going on about the number of free kicks is about as insightful as screaming "KICK IT LONG" at your freakin TV.

 

[catscratchfever]

Simon Badloss staring down the barrel - how many more defeats before his head is on the chopping block?