Suspending players for touching umpires

[PP34]

Surely we’re going too far with this s**t. Sure you don’t want players pushing umpires aside Diesel Williams style but what’s with rubbing out players for non-malicious contact?

Other sports in the world don’t carry on like this when it comes to harmless contact.

Fine them and that should be it.

The media overreaction around three incidents from the past week is a joke. None of the three put the umpire in harms way.

In the case of Ed Curnow maybe if the umpires kept their mouths shut and stopped trying to get involved when there’s heated players going at it then they wouldn’t get touched. On what planet is a sports referee taught to get up close to players going at it and pretty much get involved?

 

[Duskfire]

It’s too late now precedence has been set with Hawkins. Hawkins brushed his hand or something and some acted as if it were a headbutt and then a kick in the groin

 

[twotooto]

I don't agree with much, if any, of the s**t they pull, but I actually agree with the AFL/MRP on this one.

Accidental, incidental contact should be no penalty but you can't have players touching the umps intentionally, in a demonstrative manner, even if there is no malicious intent.

I also don't buy the umps don't need to be up close excuse. They need to be up close to set the mark when they blow the whistle and also to actually be heard. It's always been the case that you don't touch the ump and it's never really been a problem. Anyone who's ever played or watched a bit of footy knows this.

Don't want to cop weeks? Simple, don't touch the umps. Not rocket science.

 

[ZGuhT]

yep no excuse, I was glad Hawkins got done and think he was lucky. it's not like like it's the first stupid thing he's done.

now to have a couple incidents the very next week.. gotta put their foot down quick. everyone complains about bad umpiring, but think about the s**t these guys get at local and amateur level.

we need these guys to feel 100% untouchable to allow young people to want to umpire this game. clearly I dont think the umps were in harm's way with any of these incidents but any level of contact cannot be tolerated imo.

 

[Sttew]

Surely we’re going too far with this s**t. Sure you don’t want players pushing umpires aside Diesel Williams style but what’s with rubbing out players for non-malicious contact?

Other sports in the world don’t carry on like this when it comes to harmless contact.

Fine them and that should be it.

The media overreaction around three incidents from the past week is a joke. None of the three put the umpire in harms way.

In the case of Ed Curnow maybe if the umpires kept their mouths shut and stopped trying to get involved when there’s heated players going at it then they wouldn’t get touched. On what planet is a sports referee taught to get up close to players going at it and pretty much get involved?

Agree 100%. But....

 

[PP34]

I don't agree with much, if any, of the s**t they pull, but I actually agree with the AFL/MRP on this one.

Accidental, incidental contact should be no penalty but you can't have players touching the umps intentionally, in a demonstrative manner, even if there is no malicious intent.

I also don't buy the umps don't need to be up close excuse. They need to be up close to set the mark when they blow the whistle and also to actually be heard. It's always been the case that you don't touch the ump and it's never really been a problem. Anyone who's ever played or watched a bit of footy knows this.

Don't want to cop weeks? Simple, don't touch the umps. Not rocket science.

I’m talking about when there’s an melee. Too often they run in to get involved and say useless s**t while also being very close to the melee.

That’s what happened in the Curnow situation. He got decked by Stringer right after the touch of the umpire.

 

[HairyO]

How about this.

Dont touch the umpires.

 

[twotooto]

I’m talking about when there’s an melee. Too often they run in to get involved and say useless s**t while also being very close to the melee.

That’s what happened in the Curnow situation. He got decked by Stringer right after the touch of the umpire.

Look, I totally get the frustration and as I said in the May thread, all three players are/will be a bit stiff to cop sanctions because there was no malicious intent, but in this case, I reckon there can be no grey area. You simply don't touch the ump for any reason. It's the way it's always been and it's never been a problem and that's the way it should stay. Call me old school, but imo, it's very straightforward.

All of the players know that as well and I think the vast majority accept that that's the way it is - the three recent incidents, whilst innocuous, are outliers and I highly doubt we'll see it happen again any time soon.

 

[Mr B]

yep no excuse, I was glad Hawkins got done and think he was lucky. it's not like like it's the first stupid thing he's done.

now to have a couple incidents the very next week.. gotta put their foot down quick. everyone complains about bad umpiring, but think about the s**t these guys get at local and amateur level.

we need these guys to feel 100% untouchable to allow young people to want to umpire this game. clearly I dont think the umps were in harm's way with any of these incidents but any level of contact cannot be tolerated imo.

I agree totally. It’s really easy. Don’t touch the umpire. Ever.

(OK there’s always going to be some accidental stuff, but anything remotely deliberate needs to be punished. )

 

[Forward Press]

If you don't heavily punish players for remonstrating physically with umpires then who would be an umpire? The minute that umpires refuse to do what they do is the minute the integrity of the entire sport is completely undermined.

It's the same with virtually every sport in the world - you touch a referee, you are going down. And that's how it should be.

 

[Faz 2000]

Issue should be approached from a few angles.

1. Umpires should be told to back off and keep their distance somewhat - there are plenty of cases where the ump is right up in a player's face and some contact occurs.
2. Accidental, incidental contact should not carry a penalty. It's unavoidable in such a crowded 360 degree game where the umpire runs backwards.
3. Intentional contact by a player that is perceived as threatening or intimidating should be heavily punished.

There is the one other tricky situation where sometimes the contact is sort of friendly or mutual. When is an arm around friendly, when is it intimidating? I think in those scenarios it has to be solely up to the "eye of the beholder", in this case the umpire. If nobody has a problem with it, there's no crime. But if the ump feels threatened or disrespected, the player has to be punished.

 

[catstorm]

How about this.

Dont touch the umpires.

How about conversely umpires don’t touch players, respect needs to work both ways I’ve lost count of how often umpires get right up in the face of a player and don’t even get me started with how often they touch them.

Umpires have become far to familiar with players lately, acting all buddy buddy calling them by there nicknames joking around with them, this needs to stop.

 

[HairyO]

How about conversely umpires don’t touch players, respect needs to work both ways I’ve lost count of how often umpires get right up in the face of a player and don’t even get me started with how often they touch them.

Umpires have become far to familiar with players lately, acting all buddy buddy calling them by there nicknames joking around with them, this needs to stop.

Care to point to umpires touching players inappropriately?

Though do define inappropriate first please.

 

[PP34]

If you don't heavily punish players for remonstrating physically with umpires then who would be an umpire? The minute that umpires refuse to do what they do is the minute the integrity of the entire sport is completely undermined.

It's the same with virtually every sport in the world - you touch a referee, you are going down. And that's how it should be.

In soccer and basketball they don’t rub out players for merely touching their hand.

 

[Tap Tap Tapperoo]

In soccer and basketball they don’t rub out players for merely touching their hand.

And the way soccer players treat referees is a disgrace. One of the reasons I have gravitated away from the game over the years.

If stamping this out now, means we don't get to the stage soccer has, I'm all for it.

 

[PP34]

And the way soccer players treat referees is a disgrace. One of the reasons I have gravitated away from the game over the years.

If stamping this out now, means we don't get to the stage soccer has, I'm all for it.

I'm not calling for that sort of behaviour to be allowed. But honestly think we're going way too far if we're going to rub out players on a weekly basis for brushing away an umpire getting involved in a melee.

Charlie Curnow being referred straight to the tribunal is an absolute joke.

 

[ItsGameTime]

May found not guilty for intentional conduct. Judged as careless and a $1000 fine.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-05-14/live-may-at-the-tribunal-from-5pm-aest

 

[F_therest]

May found not guilty for intentional conduct. Judged as careless and a $1000 fine.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-05-14/live-may-at-the-tribunal-from-5pm-aest

I reckon the big difference was umpire testimony.

With may, ump probably told tribunal he did not feel threatened and that may was just pleading with him and demonstrating the action.

With Hawkins, ump clearly felt aggrieved and threatened since he said 'hey don't touch me' to Hawkins.

 

[Strange Cat]

Shock horror Hawkins made an expample of just like the jumper punch and then the very next week other players are let off

It’s a farce

 

[slashin_velvet]

I reckon the big difference was umpire testimony.

With may, ump probably told tribunal he did not feel threatened and that may was just pleading with him and demonstrating the action.

With Hawkins, ump clearly felt aggrieved and threatened since he said 'hey don't touch me' to Hawkins.

I do wonder if this will have an impact on the curnow decision. Whether its deemed careless or accidental on the otherhand seems a stretch. I think its a week based on Hawkins, but the May thing is a real curveball.

 

[F_therest]

Shock horror Hawkins made an expample of just like the jumper punch and then the very next week other players are let off

It’s a farce

Read my post above yours.

The key difference is probably ump felt threatened by Hawkins whereas wasn't by May.

 

[Faz 2000]

And the way soccer players treat referees is a disgrace. One of the reasons I have gravitated away from the game over the years.

If stamping this out now, means we don't get to the stage soccer has, I'm all for it.

100% agree. The image of players crowding around referees, intimidating and remonstrating is exactly what we don't want to get to.

There IS friendly harmless contact, though, too, so I dunno whether hanging people for that is the right way to go. It has to be about what the umpire thinks/feels, really.

 

[Strange Cat]

Read my post above yours.

The key difference is probably ump felt threatened by Hawkins whereas wasn't by May.

Who ******* cares they make up the ******* s**t as the go along

Same with the jumper punching has anyone ever been suspended since Hawkin was?

It’s a corrupted system

 

[HairyO]

Shock horror Hawkins made an expample of just like the jumper punch and then the very next week other players are let off

It’s a farce

You do realise 2 Carlton players were referred for intentional contact?

So maybe the Cripps one was correctly deemed accidental?

 

[quotemokc]

AFL will be very firm with this as we eventually get more female umps.