Re: D4 Section Ammos
I have said here before that I go down to watch RC,I also go to the alphabet grade at times so I see the umps up there,no doubt their is a difference in the alphabet umps to D4;I could,but won't,name at least 2 D4 blokes that still rundown to take the marks their mate has set and cover the square,but sometimes their partners don't respond in kind.These 2 are also the ones in most control and from what i hear from the boundry they are pretty pleasant with the players,please and thanks and call what the frees are for.Even if I don't agree sometimes,they seem to get it reasonably right.
Maybe spy has something,are there some that try and are being held back?,I gather that some here are coaches by their comments,one has openly put his name to his posts,do you have a coaches group? Don't know Goodman at all,never met him just see his name in the footballer,maybe an approach by D4 coaches to discuss might be the go?
Short answer to your question, NO we do not have a coaches group and apart from Saturdays we do not get together other than preseason at VAFA function.
Umpires, you could speak to people from any grade or other leagues and you'll have complaints, they are officials who make decisions where some agree and some dont. I am concerned that umpire numbers are dwindling and would hate to get to a situation where senior games are umpired by club umpires as per ressies.
I strongly demand from my players that they do not get into verbal confrontations with umpires - not all have heeded my demands during the year and they have been benched. Not a lot we can do about supporters, but we can educate our own players and officials.
I'll probably get howled down, but I strongly believe that officials including coaches should be charged with abusive language out of the coaches box/area should be reported and if found guilty suspended - just like players. Definition of an official - Anyone in coaches area/box or carrying out an official task, or known to be an office bearer.
We all have to admit that our respective clubs have had days where decisions seemed to go your way all day, and days where you are on the end of the bad ones, but overall it seems to even out -we only hear of the game decided by an umpiring decision.
Their numbers are dwindling and we need to be very, very careful cause I dont think there is a waiting list to take Patrick or others place.
To conclude coaches should be forced to complete umpire reports every week - I think in the YVMDFL we had to complete umpire report and it was easy to be critical when you lose but I had more follow ups from umpire advisor if I was critical after a win.
Lets get back to talking about the game and forget the umpires.
Manny