Umpiring Does the AFL/umpires have something against the Adelaide Crows?

[NSWCROW]

Just saying it doesnt make it so.

And considering Adelaide havent asked for a please explain, nor have the AFL commented on it, the only explanation is everyone involved is happy that the ARC decision was right.

Lucky justice prevailed in the end

 

[Duckimus Prime]

Yes, there is a pattern. What other team has had so many apologies for incorrect decisions? This is just in the last 3 and a bit seasons.

What I can't understand is why. I would have thought the umpires would be going out of their way not to award dubious frees to and against the Crows after all this, but the umps seem to have doubled down. Even Tex is fed up, basically telling the AFL to stop apologising and start finding a solution.

Date	Incident	AFL Reaction
June 2023	Jordan Dawson was clearly high-tackled in the final 15 seconds vs Collingwood. Would have been a shot to win after the siren.	AFL officially conceded the error on the Monday, claiming the umpires had a "restricted view."
Aug 2023	Ben Keays kicked the match-winning goal vs Sydney. Goal umpire called a hit-post without reviewing. Replays showed clear daylight.	Gillon McLachlan called it an "inexplicable mistake" and apologised, but the result stood and we missed finals.
April 2024	Sam Draper (Essendon) flopped on the ball in the goal square in the dying seconds. Clear holding the ball/prior.	AFL admitted a free kick should have been awarded to the Crows.
April 2025	Izak Rankine denied a clear mark/holding free in the final 2 mins of a 1-point loss to Gold Coast.	AFL spokesperson confirmed it was a mistake and a free kick should have been paid.
March 2026	Tom Atkins (Geelong) awarded a "last touch" free despite kicking it out himself late in a close game.	AFL admitted the error and blamed a "flaw in the process" for why the ARC didn't intervene.
April 2026	Umpires missed a blatant 6-6-6 infringement by Fremantle late in a 2-point Crows loss.	Andrew Dillon admitted the blunder and said a warning or free should have been issued.

It is a great pattern.

1. Rankine throws the ball to Tex Walker who is the one that kicks the ball toward Dawson. Should've been a Collingwood free kick at half back.

2. The Crows get all manner of dodgy umpiring decisions in their favour to help them close down Sydney's 30 point lead.

3. Walker falls on Draper's back in an attempt to lay a tackle.

6. Fremantle had not had a warning. So it would've just been a repeat. They don't commit another one in the game so the Crows are robbed of nothing. Also Freo has an extra player in defence. They win the centre clearance and go into their forward 50 where the Crows have the benefit of an extra defender.

As for Showdowns:
Phil Walsh Showdown: Jay Schulz flies for a mark 30m out right in front, only player who touches the ball, fumbles it on the way down. But the ball lands on his chest where he holds it. Play on called. Crows win by less than a goal.

Josh Jenkins hits the post. Is calling his teammates to set up for the kick out before a decision is made, but gets called a goal. Thats the Crows winner.

Sam Mayes runs into the side of Lachlan Murphy. Murphy throws his head back violently pretending he's been hit high. He through his headback so violently that he injured himself and was unable to take a shot he was never making. Allowing a significantly better kick to take the kick after the siren.

Poor hard done by Cwows.

 

[ceebsaf]

It is a great pattern.

1. Rankine throws the ball to Tex Walker who is the one that kicks the ball toward Dawson. Should've been a Collingwood free kick at half back.

2. The Crows get all manner of dodgy umpiring decisions in their favour to help them close down Sydney's 30 point lead.

3. Walker falls on Draper's back in an attempt to lay a tackle.

6. Fremantle had not had a warning. So it would've just been a repeat. They don't commit another one in the game so the Crows are robbed of nothing. Also Freo has an extra player in defence. They win the centre clearance and go into their forward 50 where the Crows have the benefit of an extra defender.

As for Showdowns:
Phil Walsh Showdown: Jay Schulz flies for a mark 30m out right in front, only player who touches the ball, fumbles it on the way down. But the ball lands on his chest where he holds it. Play on called. Crows win by less than a goal.

Josh Jenkins hits the post. Is calling his teammates to set up for the kick out before a decision is made, but gets called a goal. Thats the Crows winner.

Sam Mayes runs into the side of Lachlan Murphy. Murphy throws his head back violently pretending he's been hit high. He through his headback so violently that he injured himself and was unable to take a shot he was never making. Allowing a significantly better kick to take the kick after the siren.

Poor hard done by Cwows.

Why u so mad bro.

 

[57 Milner]

It is a great pattern.

1. Rankine throws the ball to Tex Walker who is the one that kicks the ball toward Dawson. Should've been a Collingwood free kick at half back.

2. The Crows get all manner of dodgy umpiring decisions in their favour to help them close down Sydney's 30 point lead.

3. Walker falls on Draper's back in an attempt to lay a tackle.

6. Fremantle had not had a warning. So it would've just been a repeat. They don't commit another one in the game so the Crows are robbed of nothing. Also Freo has an extra player in defence. They win the centre clearance and go into their forward 50 where the Crows have the benefit of an extra defender.

As for Showdowns:
Phil Walsh Showdown: Jay Schulz flies for a mark 30m out right in front, only player who touches the ball, fumbles it on the way down. But the ball lands on his chest where he holds it. Play on called. Crows win by less than a goal.

Josh Jenkins hits the post. Is calling his teammates to set up for the kick out before a decision is made, but gets called a goal. Thats the Crows winner.

Sam Mayes runs into the side of Lachlan Murphy. Murphy throws his head back violently pretending he's been hit high. He through his headback so violently that he injured himself and was unable to take a shot he was never making. Allowing a significantly better kick to take the kick after the siren.

Poor hard done by Cwows.

That's quite an impressive scrapbook you have there dude!

 

[NSWCROW]

Sam Mayes runs into the side of Lachlan Murphy. Murphy throws his head back violently pretending he's been hit high. He through his headback so violently that he injured himself and was unable to take a shot he was never making. Allowing a significantly better kick to take the kick after the siren.

If mayes has half a brain and a skerrick of footballing ability, he doesnt plow into Murphy's back like a peanut.

That one's all on your boy, mate

 

[Duckimus Prime]

If mayes has half a brain and a skerrick of footballing ability, he doesnt plow into Murphy's back like a peanut.

That one's all on your boy, mate

Except there wasn't any plowing into the back. Mayes hit him in the side. And he threw his head back, and the ump paid a free kick for high contact.

If you want to see a push in back have a look at what Soligo did to Butters on weekend.

 

[NSWCROW]

Except there wasn't any plowing into the back. Mayes hit him in the side. And he threw his head back, and the ump paid a free kick for high contact.

If you want to see a push in back have a look at what Soligo did to Butters on weekend.

I saw a free kick paid and a Dawson dagger not long after that

Got no prob with the Butters free either btw, braindead effort from soligo, much like Mayes that night.

 

[Brian McGee]

If mayes has half a brain and a skerrick of footballing ability, he doesnt plow into Murphy's back like a peanut.

That one's all on your boy, mate

High? In the back? Not sure it fits either really…

 

[NSWCROW]

High? In the back? Not sure it fits either really…

Late ?

I just remember the roar after the goal lol

 

[Brian McGee]

Late ?

I just remember the roar after the goal lol

It was a loose ball. Potentially holding the man, but very soft to not take his own kick…

 

[Rabish Binney]

Ask em if they’ve ever won a game after having a shot for goal actually hit the post and be called a goal?

You mean the Jenkins goal?

Well if you look at the facts, Jenkins said he thought the ball might have hit the post. He never said it did.

Secondly if it did hit the post or the Port players thought it did, then why didn't any of them protest or remonstrate to the field or goal umpire at the time?

Not one of them did. Which indicates to all that it was a clear goal.

 

[SC_Power]

High? In the back? Not sure it fits either really…

Let them have their complaining about half the things that never happened, and their forgetfulness about all the things that went their way.

 

[Maddogmetro]

High? In the back? Not sure it fits either really…

It's coming back!!!

 

[#Port Patriot#]

Proven that Rankine did run too far. 22m

Push in Butters back was there and a free every day of the week.

Push in the back by Rachelle on Evans making Milera goal not count also there. Eyes not on the ball, not contesting it, pushing in the side and back. Free kick.

So all the crows whining and saying "we should have won by X amount of goals".. be happy you did win. But you were not shafted or treated badly. Some decisions not paid both sides that night and some paid that shouldn't have as well but Crows weren't "robbed" or potentially robbed if they did lose.

 

[57 Milner]

Push in the back by Rachelle on Evans making Milera goal not count also there. Eyes not on the ball, not contesting it, pushing in the side and back. Free kick.

Just to clarify dude, was that a push in the back or in the side? You're either a little confused or having two bob each way. But 'every day of the week' !

 

[HugeJohnson]

You gotta be joking. Every team gets bad decisions. Adelaide have just made a habit of crying about it publicly

 

[Stumpy Pete]

I think they’ve had the rough end of the pineapple a few times but doubt it is a conspiracy.

To be honest I don’t think their fans help. They are at the extreme end of parochial- and that’s fine. But I think it does mean they expect every Adelaide tackle to be called holding the ball and every contested mark to lead to an Adelaide free kick. This can lead to a perception of being hard done by but may also affect the umpires attitude towards the Crows - they are only human after all.

Regards

S. Pete

 

[Rabish Binney]

You gotta be joking. Every team gets bad decisions. Adelaide have just made a habit of crying about it publicly

Yes they do.

But how many times has the AFL apologised to Port for game changing decisions that weren't made?

 

[HugeJohnson]

Yes they do.

But how many times has the AFL apologised to Port for game changing decisions that weren't made?

How many times has Port complained about these decisions publicly? I can think of hundreds of decisions and games where we have had the rough end of the stick. We're consistently in the bottom 5 for frees for/against every year.
Just a few weeks ago Butters was paid 50 against in a close game for umpire abuse. Did we get an apology when it was found that it couldn't be proved and the umpires mic conveniently stopped working at that exact moment? No, he was fined anyway and we had to take it to appeal to clear his name.
How about Jenkins hitting the behind post in the showdown a few years ago that was called a goal?
Dixon being called to play on before his 30 seconds were up against Geelong at Gmhba which probably cost us the game.
Luke Shuey ducking his head in the elimination final that led to the after the siren win.
More often than not we just suck up the bad decisions and get on with it. I have a feeling Adelaide find it easier to complain about it rather than put any blame on themselves in close finishes.

But hey, sometimes I wish Port would vent their frustrations too if it meant it'd help us even slightly even up the ledger

 

[Purple Suit]

Proven that Rankine did run too far. 22m

Push in Butters back was there and a free every day of the week.

Push in the back by Rachelle on Evans making Milera goal not count also there. Eyes not on the ball, not contesting it, pushing in the side and back. Free kick.

So all the crows whining and saying "we should have won by X amount of goals".. be happy you did win. But you were not shafted or treated badly. Some decisions not paid both sides that night and some paid that shouldn't have as well but Crows weren't "robbed" or potentially robbed if they did lose.

Not sure how I ended up here but that Push in the back Milera overturn goal just wasn’t there. Happens 10 times a game and never seen it. The ball was 3-4m past the goal line so impossible to spoil and Port player didn’t take a dive or complain.

 

[#Port Patriot#]

Not sure how I ended up here but that Push in the back Milera overturn goal just wasn’t there. Happens 10 times a game and never seen it. The ball was 3-4m past the goal line so impossible to spoil and Port player didn’t take a dive or complain.

That doesn't happen 10 times a game. The free was there because Evans was still in the contest to spoil or stop that ball going through and Rachelle pushed him in the back, albeit 1 hand in the side, 1 in the back whilst not even looking at the ball. That's a free every day of the week and these frees have been paid before in the goal square from these silly decisions by players. Most players know how to disguise doing it better to not get pinged. Rachelle failed that.

You saying impossible is irrelevant. The ball was still in play and not crossing the goal line when he was pushed and he could have still attempted better without being pushed.

Also irrelevant that Evans didn't complain or take a dive. The actions by Rachelle were still there and he was stupid to do it. Of course the umpire will call that and should call it.

 

[Purple Suit]

That doesn't happen 10 times a game. The free was there because Evans was still in the contest to spoil or stop that ball going through and Rachelle pushed him in the back, albeit 1 hand in the side, 1 in the back whilst not even looking at the ball. That's a free every day of the week and these frees have been paid before in the goal square from these silly decisions by players. Most players know how to disguise doing it better to not get pinged. Rachelle failed that.

You saying impossible is irrelevant. The ball was still in play and not crossing the goal line when he was pushed and he could have still attempted better without being pushed.

Also irrelevant that Evans didn't complain or take a dive. The actions by Rachelle were still there and he was stupid to do it. Of course the umpire will call that and should call it.

The ball went over their heads, couldn’t be touched so therefore the softest touch in the side from Rachelle wasn’t impeding him contesting the ball because it was impossible for the Port player to contest the ball.

Even if it was, you are allowed to sheppard a ball over the goal line in the air.

It was a shocking decision but made the end more exciting.

Funny thing is that maybe in another universe that terrible decision isn’t paid but Port kick two goals in a row and win. It’s impossible to know the complete impact of a bad umpiring decision unless it’s in the last few seconds of a game or in the case of siren gate, after the game should have finished.

 

[#Port Patriot#]

The ball went over their heads, couldn’t be touched so therefore the softest touch in the side from Rachelle wasn’t impeding him contesting the ball because it was impossible for the Port player to contest the ball.

Even if it was, you are allowed to sheppard a ball over the goal line in the air.

It was a shocking decision but made the end more exciting.

Funny thing is that maybe in another universe that terrible decision isn’t paid but Port kick two goals in a row and win. It’s impossible to know the complete impact of a bad umpiring decision unless it’s in the last few seconds of a game or in the case of siren gate, after the game should have finished.

First, that isn't a shepherd And if you deem it is a shepherd, a player can still NOT push in the back.

And again, this whole soft or what ever free stuff, is irrelevant. If a player gut punches behind play and we see it and think, that's soft, but the team of the player who was gut punched get a free kick where the ball is in their forward half, it's still a free and there regardless. It's also a stupid thing to do and create the free. Just like this "soft" push in the back without looking at the ball whilst that player is attempting to contest the ball EVEN if he may or may not be able to touch it. The ball is still in play. So soft or not, it's a free. Rachelle himself should just be clarifying what he did and why that was a free and learning to not do it, pretty simple.

And yeah, they may have got that goal and Port kick 2 goals in a row to win. Plenty of what ifs, however, Crows did win, good for them. Perhaps now after almost a week they as a club and supporters should stop going on about it every day and expecting apologies and shit. Kind of annoying listing to 5AA for example and that clown Rowey can't shut the F up for one day without bitching and moaning or bringing it up like it's the end of the world.

Free was there and paid. Good umpire decision.

 

[Madas]

It’s the Bermuda Triangle of umpiring decisions without doubt

 

[Purple Suit]

First, that isn't a shepherd And if you deem it is a shepherd, a player can still NOT push in the back.

And again, this whole soft or what ever free stuff, is irrelevant. If a player gut punches behind play and we see it and think, that's soft, but the team of the player who was gut punched get a free kick where the ball is in their forward half, it's still a free and there regardless. It's also a stupid thing to do and create the free. Just like this "soft" push in the back without looking at the ball whilst that player is attempting to contest the ball EVEN if he may or may not be able to touch it. The ball is still in play. So soft or not, it's a free. Rachelle himself should just be clarifying what he did and why that was a free and learning to not do it, pretty simple.

And yeah, they may have got that goal and Port kick 2 goals in a row to win. Plenty of what ifs, however, Crows did win, good for them. Perhaps now after almost a week they as a club and supporters should stop going on about it every day and expecting apologies and shit. Kind of annoying listing to 5AA for example and that clown Rowey can't shut the F up for one day without bitching and moaning or bringing it up like it's the end of the world.

Free was there and paid. Good umpire decision.

It wasn’t in the back, it was in the side. Your one eye even admitted it above. Terrible call.