Ugh...

[yodellinhank]

My favorite was the decision against Dempsey for running too far. Bit surprised no one else brought it up. The commentators were perplexed.

 

[TheGodDelusion]

For the most part, I don't have a problem with the validity of the free kicks. However, if they're going to pay technical free kicks then at least be consistent. I also found it strange that so many free kicks were paid in our defensive 50 when they mostly let the game flow elsewhere.

That's what I found frustrating, not so much that they were paying them but that they didn't anywhere else.

That said, the doggies were too good in the second half & deserved to win.

 

[AJ_2000]

Certainly some shockers last night.

After playing the better footy in the first half we should have gone in with a 3 or 4 goal lead, but our lack of an effective forward line cost us dearly.

WB were the better team.

In general I can't remember a game where there were so many goal saving tackles and missed opportunities due to the defensive pressure from both sides. The intensity and pressure in the 1st half was amazing, a true finals like tempo.

 

[OzBomber]

My favorite was the decision against Dempsey for running too far. Bit surprised no one else brought it up. The commentators were perplexed.

Was that the one where he ran like 10 steps? Wasn't it a Bulldogs player? But yeah it was a terrible decision.

 

[Skeeta Olly]

You ran 25m

 

[flight23]

Was that the one where he ran like 10 steps? Wasn't it a Bulldogs player? But yeah it was a terrible decision.

ryan griffen got done for running 8 metres or so
the cooney one was a shocker
the higgins one where he said the essendon bloke wasn't looking at the ball was a bad one, but looked worse on the replay than live, there was a flimsy arm over the shoulder for about .01 of a second
the 2 holding the man (murphy and hahn) were there
the fletcher on minson was shithouse


i thought we were murdered in the first quarter against collingwood last week and then it evened up for us last night


essendon were up by 10 points and then down by 40 odd, got a few in junk time to make it respectable, umps helped but didn't cost anyone the game

 

[OzBomber]

ryan griffen got done for running 8 metres or so

That's the one. That was arguably the worst decision of the night. I was like wtf.

 

[Boucks09]

The umpires didn't determine the result but some of those decisions were absolutely shocking.

The three that stood out for me were:

- Adam Cooney in the back

It was a fair tackle. The free was paid for McPhee getting into his back as they were on the ground. But there was a gap between McPhee and Cooney so it was impossible for McPhee to have pushed him in the back.

- Will Minson

It was a clear spoil from Fletcher. He didn't chop the arms. The 50m was a joke. I did love Fletcher's response afterwards and Hurley was having a giggle.

- Higgins goal in the 3rd quarter

Yes Welsh was coming from a front on position, but he did not interfere illegally and executed a perfect spoil.

Those three were all in the 3rd quarter and changed all momentum to the Doggies.

They were the better side and thoroughly deserved the win. It's just disappointing when games are marred by poor decisions.

P.S. The Dempsey running too far free was definetely there. He had taken 10 steps before running along the boundary line and getting past his opponent.

 

[yodellinhank]

Was that the one where he ran like 10 steps? Wasn't it a Bulldogs player? But yeah it was a terrible decision.

He got the ball on the half back flank ran a bit and kicked it to Lloyd up on our half forward flank, who marked. The ball was brought back for a dogs free kick.

 

[yodellinhank]

They were the better side and thoroughly deserved the win. It's just disappointing when games are marred by poor decisions.

P.S. The Dempsey running too far free was definetely there. He had taken 10 steps before running along the boundary line and getting past his opponent.

Agree and thanks. Been a bit crook and had to stay home and watch it on the telly

Channel 7 seem more intent on zooming in on the players at every opportunity, i find it hard to see what's really going on on TV. All you get to know is how delicious players are, and which ones are a turn on.

 

[G-Mo77]

Hawthorn supporters are suggesting the Bombers received a poor run with umpires, they hate us nearly as much as Carlton, nearly. Check out Bay 13 where it's every supporter-base for themselves. There are several posts supporting these claims.

I think I'd rather trust my own judgement than a few posters in that cesspool thanks.

For what it's worth you did get the shorter end of the stick with the umpiring but it was no where near as one sided as what most people claim. It's to easy to point out 20 - 9 and say we was robbed. Bulldogs were first to the ball the entire second half, applied a tremendous amount of pressure, tackled and chased hard which they were rewarded for.

 

[Mofra]

It's to easy to point out 20 - 9 and say we was robbed.

5 of those free kicks were from hoilding the ball decisions after being chased down from behind, exactly the sort of mistakes a younger, developing team like the Bombers are probably expected to make.

Prior to the game the Bulldogs were 15th in the league at goals from frees, whilst the Bombers were first. Ebbs and flows. Although if someone can tell me what Fletcher's 50m penalty was for (given to Minson), I'd be much appreciated. I'm pretty sure I heard Fletcher say "I didn't swear" after the penalty was awarded.

 

[Kong]

[youtube]gKF4wPULpDY&e[/youtube]

What a clown. If you're going to penalise a player for an unprecedented reason, at least get your pronunciation of the word right.

What an embarrassment for the umpires and Jeff Giechen.

 

[Kong]

I just saw highlights for the first time.

The Fletcher tackle on Higgins that resulted in a Bulldogs freebie and goal from about 45 out has me puzzled. At the game I assumed Fletcher's arm went high while on the ground, as the tackle was legitimate. However when I just saw the replay I swear that it was in fact Higgins' arm over Fletcher's shoulders while on the ground.

Does anybody have any vision of said incident?

 

[serendipity]

Bulldogs would have won regardless, but the umpiring decisions and non-decisions ruined the game as a spectacle for me. Terrible umpiring display.

not only do I agree with your comment but I also had to have some sort of intercourse with you pictured!!!!

and how about that 50 meter penalty on Dustin for "DEMEANOUR!!!!!!" what the hell was that ....those umps were oh so serious.... bloody ridiculous... aand so frustrating...

 

[Mingo]

On the flipside how many were missed when the doggies player got run down and the umpire called play on?

Name the decisions that were missed where the ball fumbled out of a Bulldogs players possession in a tackle. Cause that's all we got all night. The ones that people around me were going nuts about ended in a legal disposal from the Bulldogs player. All the Essendon players just dropped it... and it happened constantly as you no doubt saw.

 

[~RFM~]

That was the worst umpiring we've copped this season. Completely turned the momentum a couple times, especially with that free and 50 against Fletch.

Absolutely. I believe bad umpiring can turn a match on it's head - no doubt. I've seen quite a few obviously wrong decisions on Friday night football...I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but dubious frees given in front of goal at timely points of play over the last few weeks (and not just talking Essendon games), have me wondering wtf is going on.

 

[Borgsta]

I think you should go back and watch the replay again with a rule book in your hand. I'll say the opposite 7 frees for goals, 5 of them were actual frees the other 2 were pretty ordinary decisions.

I'd say 5 and 2 aswell. The Minson and Cooney ones weren't frees IMO. Having said that 2 of the 5 should have been paid advantage with Dogs running into open goals.

 

[Godzke]

I don't think anyone believes there's a conspiracy or anything of the like against essendon or for the WBD (or any other team for that matter) but you know when an umpire fails miserably to articulate his decision that the quality of umpiring has degenerated into farce. It begs the question "Well, shit, if that's his reasoning for the freekick, then what's his interpretation been for the rest of the game??".

I think I speak for most fans when I say consistency is the first thing we look for in umpiring and I think it's fair enough demand to make upon the umpires considering issues like these don't arise as often in other sports as they do in ours.

I really would like to know what the inner-workings of the umpires association are and how umpires are critically assessed.

 

[Longy413]

I just saw highlights for the first time.

The Fletcher tackle on Higgins that resulted in a Bulldogs freebie and goal from about 45 out has me puzzled. At the game I assumed Fletcher's arm went high while on the ground, as the tackle was legitimate. However when I just saw the replay I swear that it was in fact Higgins' arm over Fletcher's shoulders while on the ground.

Does anybody have any vision of said incident?

You are talking in the last quarter I presume?

Higgins mouthed off all night, it's amazing the flack Davey cops yet Higgins seems to get off without mention.

Anyway, Higgins made himself a target. Fletcher used his head to help himself get up off the ground.

Free was there, not for the tackle though.

Credit to Higgins I guess.

 

[Kong]

You are talking in the last quarter I presume?

Higgins mouthed off all night, it's amazing the flack Davey cops yet Higgins seems to get off without mention.

Anyway, Higgins made himself a target. Fletcher used his head to help himself get up off the ground.

Free was there, not for the tackle though.

Credit to Higgins I guess.

Yeah, that was the incident. Fair enough, I'll take your word for it.

Higgins did surprise me with his baiting tactics somewhat; I normally really like watching him play, but he was a little shit (to be blunt) on Friday. Good player, but he seemed to resort to Josh Carr-type mouthing off a fair bit against the Bombers.

After the Welsh non-free for 'chopping' at three-quarter time, Higgins ran out of his way to do the old pointing to the head trick, as if to say 'I outsmarted you there'. I'm sorry, what? Welsh did nothing wrong, Higgins got another gift from the umpires, and he thinks he's outwitted Welsh? What a w***er.

Oh well, like you said, credit to him for doing whatever he can to win, I guess.

 

[bacon buster]

the welsh one pissed me off the most, probably because it was after all the other dodgy decisions.

it wasn't like he ran back and blindly spoiled. you could see him actually look back to see where the ball was, and collected the ball perfectly, without even touching higgins.

bulldog supporters behind me though it was 'reportable'

 

[Phat Toni]

Normally I try and be unbiased towards the umpiring at games (as much as humanly possible ). But I have to say on Friday night I nearly popped a valve!! It wasn't so much the frees given against us, from my vantage point there were probably two that went against us both at the Lockett end that weren't there and on most occasions one to two a game is about normal, that's just footy.

My problem was the non free kicks given at the other end. I sit on the fifty meter arch at the Coventry end so I have a great view of that 50 arch. for about a fifteen minute stretch i witnessed an amazing thing unfold. I counted twice were the footy was not quite in the area (still coming through the middle) and Lake blatantly had two big handfuls of Lloyd's jumper as he was trying to lead out of the square, Lloyd was literally towing Lake like an anchor! A quick look at the closest umpire the first time and I saw he was caught watching the footy coming not the leading forwards WHICH HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, I thought oh well one mistake so be it, then the second time (5 minutes latter) and guess what SAME UMPIRE doing the same thing FOOTY WATCHING. The Bulldogs Backmen must have had a quick talk and made it know amonst the group that Blind Ray wasn't watching the leading forward because all of a sudden it was happening all over the place, illegal blocking, holding, scragging the whole bit. I was just memsmerised and wasn't watching the play, I was watching what was going on as the ball was coming towards our forward line, I would say this went on for about 10 to 15 minutes then a holding free was paid on the half forward line and it seem to slow down a little.

Credit to the Bulldogs backmen this is not a go at them, I always say to anybody i'm coaching test the boundries with the umpiers but Ray and at one point Jeffery were making basic fundamentle mistakes.

 

[Kong]

My problem was the non free kicks given at the other end. I sit on the fifty meter arch at the Coventry end so I have a great view of that 50 arch. for about a fifteen minute stretch i witnessed an amazing thing unfold. I counted twice were the footy was not quite in the area (still coming through the middle) and Lake blatantly had two big handfuls of Lloyd's jumper as he was trying to lead out of the square, Lloyd was literally towing Lake like an anchor! A quick look at the closest umpire the first time and I saw he was caught watching the footy coming not the leading forwards WHICH HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, I thought oh well one mistake so be it, then the second time (5 minutes latter) and guess what SAME UMPIRE doing the same thing FOOTY WATCHING. The Bulldogs Backmen must have had a quick talk and made it know amonst the group that Blind Ray wasn't watching the leading forward because all of a sudden it was happening all over the place, illegal blocking, holding, scragging the whole bit. I was just memsmerised and wasn't watching the play, I was watching what was going on as the ball was coming towards our forward line, I would say this went on for about 10 to 15 minutes then a holding free was paid on the half forward line and it seem to slow down a little.

I must admit this was frustrating me, too. I was sitting with a Bulldogs supporter, so I didn't bring it up (he thought Lake was obliterating us), but I saw at least three leading attempts where Lake had two hands on Lloyd's jumper, holding him back.

It's things like this - as well as Fevola seemingly getting away with putting his hands in his opponents' back - that really leave me disheartened with the standard of umpiring. The AFL either needs to employ more umpires to look at behind-the-play cheating such as this, or ensure that their umpires are competent enough to do their job.

 

[Slattery_20]

Maclaren is a c&*$. We know this. Just destroyed the game. Should not be allowed to umpire Dons' games.
Doggies would have got up eventually, they didn't need to give them 5 or 6 goals from nothing and for nothing.