Are umpires informed of the free kick count during games?

[lordbob]

This isnt a thread to have a go at any umpiring decisions or whinge about any result one way or another.

Just curious if umpires get informed of the free kick count during games.

At one stage during the port hawks game the free kick count was Port: 4 Haw: 15 at the end its was it was port : 18 haw: 20.

I notice in a number of games that lopsided free kick counts early in games often become more even towards the end of the game.

If they are coached or discuss the count/differential then its something that should be looked at.

 

[Always Ballin]

Maybe. Maybe not.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

In a game like ours today how could you not know how uneven it was.
One of the few games in recent years when I haven't had a look at CD as it was blatently obvious.
I think they do it early to create a close finish in uneven matchups but sometimes the team on the rough end isnt up for the challenge like us V Dees this year where they got 10 in a row to blow the margin open.

 

[Underarm]

At one stage during the port hawks game the free kick count was Port: 4 Haw: 15 at the end its was it was port : 18 haw: 20.

This is a reflection of how Hawthorn played in the last quarter. Teams who are 2nd to the ball give away more free kicks.

 

[lordbob]

This is a reflection of how Hawthorn played in the last quarter. Teams who are 2nd to the ball give away more free kicks.

Hawks definitely played more defensive and panicked more giving away silly frees. Im not questioning any free kicks at all and it may entirely be coincidental. However this isnt the first game ive noticed this type of thing happen, so am asking the question if they get coached or are informed during the game of the discrepancy.

 

[portly]

In a game like ours today how could you not know how uneven it was.
One of the few games in recent years when I haven't had a look at CD as it was blatently obvious.
I think they do it early to create a close finish in uneven matchups but sometimes the team on the rough end isnt up for the challenge like us V Dees this year where they got 10 in a row to blow the margin open.

The umpires must have known. How could they not have heard the boos, then derision when we finally got a free.

 

[RUNVS]

They probably have access to their phones during the breaks so they could easily look it up.

 

[bzparkes]

The umpires must have known. How could they not have heard the boos, then derision when we finally got a free.

That happens for every home team.

 

[Dazb86]

You would hope not. Despite public perception games do not need an even free kick count to be umpired fairly. Some teams infringe more than others on the day and over the journey.

 

[boncer34]

They probably have access to their phones during the breaks so they could easily look it up.

Lol. No.

 

[My Tilly]

The umpires are shifty bastards. Of course they check out everything at the break.

 

[lordbob]

They probably have access to their phones during the breaks so they could easily look it up.

I sure hope thats not the case for integrity purposes just as players are not allowed access to their phones during a game.

 

[big_e]

They don't just see it flash up on the scoreboard occasionally like everybody else?

 

[HairyO]

This is a reflection of how Hawthorn played in the last quarter. Teams who are 2nd to the ball give away more free kicks.

Yet we had 3 or 4 HTB called against us in the final quarter, while receiving none.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

You would hope not. Despite public perception games do not need an even free kick count to be umpired fairly. Some teams infringe more than others on the day and over the journey.

YEs, but when it gets to 16-4 just before 3/4 time and ends up only 2 different there is a clear change, its not just who's first to the ball as some like to suggest.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Yet we had 3 or 4 HTB called against us in the final quarter, while receiving none.

Yep, you'd think the first to the ball as we apparently were in the 4th would expose us to being caught with it, but it was the opposite.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

That happens for every home team.

Not always.
Weve been on the losing side of the free kick count at home more often than not this season despite the supposed voice of affirmation that 12 home games apparently gives us.
You hear the crowd whinge but nothing like Sunday, I actually thought it might boil over it was that one sided.

 

[jakson68]

I am unsure what the OP was hoping for asking Bigfooty an umpiring question.

Everybody on this site would be speculating at best.
If you really want to know, call SEN when razor Ray is on and ask.

As for the differential evening up and teams coming back.
Is it the frees that create the momentum or is it the momentum that creates the frees.

If a team is on, or are staging a comeback, it places pressure on the other team, creating mistakes, hence free kicks.

People are quick to blame umpires for helping a team win, when it could just be the team is playing better and not making the mistakes that the other team is making.
Then again pressure is pressure and whether you are playing, or officiating, mistakes can happen.

Lets not think it is some conspiracy, as seems to be the trend in just about every game day thread.
None of us could play as good as the worst current AFL player, I also guarantee you, none of us could umpire better than the perceived worst AFL umpire.

 

[James Colorado]

None of us could play as good as the worst current AFL player, I also guarantee you, none of us could umpire better than the perceived worst AFL umpire.

Brilliant post.

I remember being at the MCG about 5 years or so ago, and had a seat right on the boundary. Watching on TV or even from an elevated seat at the ground does not give you an idea of just how fast the game is at the highest level as you get when it's right in front of you. Leaving aside how hard it is to play, the umpires are required to know the rules and their current interpretations, get in the best position to view each contest, have the peripheral vision and spatial awareness to not cut the players off, and have the same standard at the end of the game as they did at the start, after running 12-14kms.

I mean, I can call a partisan holding the ball as well as anyone, but there's a massive difference between doing it while lying on the couch and doing it in real time, while exhausted and having half the crowd booing me. I don't criticise the umpires anymore.

 

[Redo]

if anyone has the inclination, put together stats for scores and frees for and against at half time and full time to see if there is a pattern

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Listen, there are certainly unconscious bias involved in umpiring, home crowds, team’s perceived to be better, players perceived to be better, and I’m sure there is no doubt with keeping the free kick count relatively even. There’s no conspiracy though. It’s just natural human behaviour.

 

[Underarm]

Yet we had 3 or 4 HTB called against us in the final quarter, while receiving none.

It's not a literal saying.

My point was the shift had more to do with Hawks change in behaviour compared to a desire to even things up.

 

[HairyO]

It's not a literal saying.

My point was the shift had more to do with Hawks change in behaviour compared to a desire to even things up.

That I can agree with. Moving Hardwick back turned the entire team negative.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

if anyone has the inclination, put together stats for scores and frees for and against at half time and full time to see if there is a pattern

Ive been saying it for a while now, start a thread and catalogue free kick counts by qtr using the AFL's matchday stats from Champion Data and you'll soon see the trend.
I Kept a close eye on the Saturday games from round 6 when Port played Collingwood and GWS played Carlton.

Pies got a run of 10 free's in quick succession that coincided with a 40pt scoring momentum and blew the game open.
In the next game GWS didnt get a free for the entire 2nd half whereas Carlton came from 9pts down, with Cripps having played out of his skin in the first half, to score 10.8 with favourable umpiring whilst GWS only managed 6.4 to lose by 19pts.

Then theres the Rd3 Port V Dees game where Port were 18pts up when the umpires stepped in at the 20 minute mark of the 1stto kick start Melbourne to the tune of 10-2 frees in a 20 minute window. Dees scored 37pts during that period and won by 7pts.

I'd put money on if you started keeping game by game tabs on it and posted them up 1 of 2 things would happen, the strings of frees would cease or the free kick data would disappear from the stats page.

It is very real, they just bank on you not picking up how frequent it is.

 

[PizzaPie]

Why would they when they can just check into a game day thread and see who the biggest complainers are so they can troll them for the rest of the match. If you complain about umpires a lot but your paranoia hasn't yet lead you to realize umpires are specifically targeting you, wake up sheeple!