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This chart makes interesting reading, a team having a bad run of form, second to the ball and still not tackling as much, as we have been, particularly in a few of those really bad games, you'd expect to be getting less free kicks. But then WCE, who for whatever we have done this year in the way of playing poor footy, have repeatedly managed to out do is, somehow have a positive free kick count!
I don't like the argument of a differential in free kicks in a game as being evidence of one team being screwed by the umpires, if a free kick is there, it should be paid and if over the course of a match or a season it leads to a team having more or less free kicks then that's what it is.
I am also aware when watching North play, I am probably pretty biased and far more aware of free kicks I think have been missed our way and dodgy ones paid against us.
But, there have been a few games (most notably v Carlton) where even plenty of neutrals have thought we were getting a pretty stiff run from the umps. I sometimes think there is a preconceived opinion, a North player being tackled, the ball spills out on the blind side, North aren't good, must have dropped it, opposition player similar situation, they are good, probably got a handball etc.
Again, trying to allow for my own one eyed bias, there does seem to be so many times similar situations are judged differently, I think it was the start of the match against the Cats, Ziebs moved someone under the ball, took the mark, taken off him for a push, a minute later, might have been Hawkins (?) blatantly pushed someone in the back, paid the mark.
Do we get the average Umpires on the roster after the Top 8 Teams roster is completed?