Harry Wilson
Senior List
Pfft. Once again you umps take my comments far too seriously. I think its admirable that you are defending your peers, but you had to be there to believe it. I'm sure Harry Wilson will be able to back me up when he gets online today.
Well, here I am. To say the umpiring was terrible early would be a MASSIVE understatement. I realise that the umps do the community a huge service and I would never want to do or say anything that would jeopodise that. As far as Matt's comments, I agree whole heartedly, except for the fact he named them. The people who matter, who were at the game, know who the umpires were.
Now, there were a number of incidents during the game that caused severe frustration to players, coaches and the spectators. At one stage, Matt McLellan was punched in the family jewells and then in the face, to which he recieved a cut lip. Matty Mac of course, got up and remonstrated with the offender. It was then the umpire got involved, once Matty had retaliated. I understand that you should wear the hits and that the person who retaliates always gets punished. But this incident happened 2 metres away from the umpire in question. Why didn't he pull the player up to begin with or just issue a warning, everyone knows Matty Mac isn't the sort of player to start trouble. The umpire then awarded a 50m penalty.
Another incident saw Brydon Morgan question an umpire during play, to which the umpire's response was "Stop F*****G whinging!". Another, I was having the ball short passed to me, when the umpire ran in between me and the ball. This caused me to have to stop short as I was going to run into him. Once the ball had cleared I yelled at him to "get out of the way" to which he replied "shut up you F***'n smart arse". Tempers flared and a few spot fires started up around the ground. The decision from the same umpire to award a free kick after I was being hasseled by 2 opposition players, when I pushed one of them was a discrace to say the least. I belive this is the incident Pickles gave a special mention to being the "Softest Free Kick". I pushed the guy in the chest, without malice or anger, more to clear him away from me. My team had the ball 40 metres out from goal, why would I remonstrate in anger when my team is having a shot for goal? As stated earlier, the person who retaliates gets punished. Granted I shouldn't have pushed him, but to reverse the free kick was absurd.
I approached both umpires at the half time siren, in a calm mannor and suggested that they should have a good look at the way the game was being umpired. They were over officiating and in turn inciting the frustrations. I told them that I would speak to the Romsey boys and tell them to pull their heads in. After half time the game changed. The umpires stopped the rubbish as did the players and we all got on with the game. I spoke to the umpires again after the final siren and congratualted them on turning it around. I also apologised for approaching them when I am not the captain, to which they said that as I approached them in a non threatening mannor it was acceptable.
As I stated earlier, I can appreciate the job these guys do, but surely you can't speak to the players the way that certain umpire did in the first half of the game and expect them to carry on their merry little way. All the players want and spectators for that matter, is consistancy.
Harry's Done!





