Umpiring Eleni Glouftsis should not be umpiring AFL

[Zevon]

A reminder from your friendly neighbourhood moderator that replies to this thread are now on a very tight leash and should be kept to discussion about Eleni’s umpiring abilities only.

Several posts stating or suggesting that Eleni Glouftsis shouldn’t be umpiring solely because she is female have already been removed. Any further posts saying crap like “women are far too emotional to be umpires”, “she’s only umpiring because wokeness is taking over the AFL” etc etc will be removed and infractions given.

You can call us woke, white knights, politically correct or virtue signallers all you want, but the simple fact is that we don’t stand for misogyny here. If that’s not cool with you then you know where the door is.

Thanks, Zev

 

[Xtreme]

How often would AFL umpires get sent back to a lower division to re-hone their skills ? They can't keep making blunders in major games, it'll end up costing a team in a final or grand final one day.

 

[HairyO]

How often would AFL umpires get sent back to a lower division to re-hone their skills ? They can't keep making blunders in major games, it'll end up costing a team in a final or grand final one day.

Many of them do. Often. Its just more obvious with Eleni.

 

[western royboy]

I am a community ump but I would hate to be in the AFL system the way they are instructed / coached. At our level we try and remain as invisible as possible but it's all about game management and rapport / respect with players. We get the rule changes/interpretations at the start of the year and that's where they stay - we don't change for the year or week by week. Running in a two umpire system you tend to have less issues than a three so I can only imagine four is worse again.

They are not helping recruitment

 

[SplintWhisky]

I am a community ump but I would hate to be in the AFL system the way they are instructed / coached. At our level we try and remain as invisible as possible but it's all about game management and rapport / respect with players. We get the rule changes/interpretations at the start of the year and that's where they stay - we don't change for the year or week by week. Running in a two umpire system you tend to have less issues than a three so I can only imagine four is worse again.

They are not helping recruitment

Taking you post at face value and assuming it is true, would you say that the AFL/VFL/WAFL/SANFL umps are far more "over coached"? I.e. that there is a big issue in the footy that week and the AFL comes in and says "we need to stamp out X"?

It does seem that the Umps, should be getting a professional wage and also only be instructed on the rules

 

[western royboy]

Taking you post at face value and assuming it is true, would you say that the AFL/VFL/WAFL/SANFL umps are far more "over coached"? I.e. that there is a big issue in the footy that week and the AFL comes in and says "we need to stamp out X"?

It does seem that the Umps, should be getting a professional wage and also only be instructed on the rules

100% true - 100% correct over coached but it's a symptom of the system

 

[HairyO]

100% true - 100% correct over coached but it's a symptom of the system

And we make celebs out of them. We should have no idea who any of them are.

 

[western royboy]

And we make celebs out of them. We should have no idea who any of them are.

No arguments here - a good game for me is one where I get off and no one noticed me - we aren’t the entertainment - we are there to do a job a very difficult one but nevertheless a job

Those that seek attention and get media hype do recruiting no favours.

Eleni is a star in this regard she’s been great for attracting females into it

 

[underthestars]

not about a poor umpire but about the posters thinking the ability to bounce the ball is irrelevant, or rather the need to bounce the ball is. a big part of
the art of the ruck is the ability to read the bounce of the ball. that element ofrandomness that comes from the shape of the ball and the bounce. in the same way kicking skill takes into account the odd shape of the ball, as does marking, picking the ball off the ground, handballing, punching, etc. all these elements are what makes our game unique. they are essential skills for players and umpires. or are these same posters advocating for a round ball and an easier game for all? may as well remove the behind posts and allow any ball through the goals to be called a goal regardless of how it got there. so ridiculous that umpires are expected to make calls on who touched it last or if it grazed a post. so ridiculous we need cameras to do it. bah.
or rather than go down this slippery slope we could ensure umpires can do the job required. that includes bouncing the ball.

 

[Alesana]

This is the thing, Eleni may make errors, like all umpires and players and coaches and all of us, but she really isnt any worse than any of them.

No worse than any of them? Then why doesn't she have a single notable game or award on her resume after umpiring for 17 years? https://aflua.com.au/field-umpires/

 

[HairyO]

No worse than any of them? Then why doesn't she have a single notable game or award on her resume after umpiring for 17 years? https://aflua.com.au/field-umpires/

17 years of AFL umpiring? That alone would be evidence of quality.

 

[western royboy]

No worse than any of them? Then why doesn't she have a single notable game or award on her resume after umpiring for 17 years? https://aflua.com.au/field-umpires/

surely you're taking the piss? if not, no wonder we cannot attract umpires at ANY level. This young lady is a ground breaker, she just started as a boundary and kept on improving and then moved on to field and kept on improving and has got to the highest level. She's not the best...those blokes have been doing it for 20+ years at AFL level, but she's more than ok. And unlike the vast majority she is having a crack at the hardest officiating jobs in world sports.

 

[Purple7x08_24]

Eleni is doing fine. Ive seen the guys messing up the centre bounce repeatedly. Some of the guys hsve let the power that comes with umpiring get to their head.

People are only happy with umpiring when ttheir team wins

 

[Captivating]

17 years of AFL umpiring? That alone would be evidence of quality.

Longevity is not evidence of quality.

I present the entire public service as evidence.

 

[HairyO]

Longevity is not evidence of quality.

I present the entire public service as evidence.

Could have gone with Razor Ray too

 

[r_boy]

She's definitely worse than other umpires.

Why do you think she doesn't umpire the big games?

I'm all for giving her a go and think it's great we have and encourage more female umpiring.

But as a North fan we see her more than most and it's getting ridiculous.

 

[Doashuey]

What is probably needed is another 4 or 5 female umpires in the AFL. I dont think she is particularly good (but certainly not the worst) but being the only female umpire she is definitely the most identifiable umpire and everyone remembers when shes made a s**t call against their team. If there were half a dozen female umpires in the game then she would blend in as just another "white maggot" and there would not be so much focus on her.

 

[Alesana]

What is probably needed is another 4 or 5 female umpires in the AFL. I dont think she is particularly good (but certainly not the worst) but being the only female umpire she is definitely the most identifiable umpire and everyone remembers when shes made a s**t call against their team. If there were half a dozen female umpires in the game then she would blend in as just another "white maggot" and there would not be so much focus on her.

By that logic Razor Ray should blend in, but he doesn't. If you learn who the Umpires are then you can always tell who's made the call.

 

[_Mike_]

I used to think BF posters were being a bit harsh criticising Ellie but watching her umpire today is glaringly obvious

 

[Purple7x08_24]

She's definitely worse than other umpires.

Why do you think she doesn't umpire the big games?

I'm all for giving her a go and think it's great we have and encourage more female umpiring.

But as a North fan we see her more than most and it's getting ridiculous.

Thought's on the goal umpire that called the point on Ben Keayes? I've seen plenty worse than Eleni

 

[Madas]

Thought's on the goal umpire that called the point on Ben Keayes? I've seen plenty worse than Eleni

Not his fault
Broken system

If there isn’t significant improvement on the cameras and technology along with a better review procedure come the start of next season the clubs should riot

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

Could have gone with Razor Ray too

Or BT.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

I'm not sure how many games she's umpiring these days. I usually watch Carlton games and a few neutral games per week, but can't say that I've really noticed her much this year.
Either she hasn't been umpiring the games I've watched, or she's been doing a good enough job that she hasn't stood out. A couple of years ago, she stood out in EVERY game she umpired, that I saw. She made poor calls regularly and stood out due to appearing very timid with her vocalisation when making the calls.

She's not the best, but she's also far from the worst. It's good to see female umpires coming up through the ranks. Field, boundary and goal umps. As long as they are getting games at the top level due to their competence. Same as with the men (although that's debatable).

 

[Tugga27]

Not his fault
Broken system

If there isn’t significant improvement on the cameras and technology along with a better review procedure come the start of next season the clubs should riot

Of course it's his fault.
That's why he was stood down.

He should've called for a review.

 

[Madas]

Of course it's his fault.
That's why he was stood down.

He should've called for a review.

He was stood down as an escaped goat to take the heat off the AFL’s incompetence in not having suitable technology

 

[western royboy]

He was stood down as an escaped goat

Mmm…interesting