Roast Umpires

[stay true]

Defensive zones and retaining possession are too complex for most of our fans. Pretty embarrassing.

 

[windyhill]

I really don`t go on about umps, but we are currently being lashed. Sunday was pathetic, but it will turn we are well overdue to get some contoversial or a good run with decisions, well overdue. It will happen, just the way of the football world.

 

[yaco55]

Didn't think that the umpiring had any impact on the game.

A few incorrect disposals were let go and they were inconsistent in the application of head high tackles.

Posters yelling at the umpires - Posters yelling at Stanton -

What is the world coming too ?

 

[Burzum]

Didn't think that the umpiring had any impact on the game.

A few incorrect disposals were let go and they were inconsistent in the application of head high tackles.

Posters yelling at the umpires - Posters yelling at Stanton -

What is the world coming too ?

The world is sick of the umpires and their inability to make consistent and correct calls. The fact that Naitanui was playing rugby out there at times was pathetic.

I don't think many of us would be upset if the umpiring was consistent, but the fact that calls our way are overlooked only for the opposition to receive a free for the same indiscretion a minute later is extremely frustrating.

 

[yage]

Blaming the umpires is a cop out... a few bad calls should be meaningless to a good footy team.
I agree the umpiring was pretty sloppy, but that doesn't explain why we marginally beat the west coast. Essendon really need to learn to play consistent footy, because west coast are not a good side, and there is no excuses for nearly losing to a home crowd. Would have been thrashed if the game was played in perth.

 

[Summer Nights]

Saying the umpires should be meaningless to the result is a cop-out. Might as well not even have them out there if their performance makes no different, right?

The umpires were the difference between a close contest and a comfortable win, and if you say otherwise then you're just lying to yourself so that you don't feel like a whinger.

West Coast are a much improved side, and we struggled against their press and clearance work at times. A gutsy win which I'm proud of the boys for.

 

[yage]

Saying the umpires should be meaningless to the result is a cop-out. Might as well not even have them out there if their performance makes no different, right?

By meaningless, I mean a few bad calls here and there. Supporters were carrying on as if the umpires literally grabbed the ball whenever we took it inside 50. Even after the game there was just far too much whinging saying the umpires cost us a 10 goal win, it's ridiculous.

Our supporter group is always very vocal when a couple calls go against us, but if you watch practically any time we play against richmond, the anti-umpire brigade is strangely silent.

 

[Summer Nights]

By meaningless, I mean a few bad calls here and there. Supporters were carrying on as if the umpires literally grabbed the ball whenever we took it inside 50. Even after the game there was just far too much whinging saying the umpires cost us a 10 goal win, it's ridiculous.

I think we've just been bent over this year and people are getting fed up. I can see how you'd think it's whinging if you only thought it was "a few bad calls".

Having said that, I'd then question your judgement. Far more than a few bad calls. Clearly affected the margin from the majority point of view.

Our supporter group is always very vocal when a couple calls go against us, but if you watch practically any time we play against richmond, the anti-umpire brigade is strangely silent.

Could be right on the Richmond games, however does that mean our supporters acknowledge when we get the rub? We had a good run against the Bulldogs in Rd. 1 and many admitted that.

 

[yage]

I think we've just been bent over this year and people are getting fed up. I can see how you'd think it's whinging if you only thought it was "a few bad calls".

Having said that, I'd then question your judgement. Far more than a few bad calls. Clearly affected the margin from the majority point of view.

Yes, but bad calls or not, there was far more than just the officiating which limited us to two goal quarters in 1 & 2. ie. not manning up, getting smashed in clearances.
I felt like we were not utilising our pace, and trying to play west coast's game, which is reliant on their large players. In quarters 2 & 3 the boys started running the ball, and it absolutely killed them. Jetta was easily one of our best

 

[daffo]

Of course there are bad calls against us BUT this year we have had a lot more good calls. People need to lay off it. When you attack the ball harder you will get more free kicks. WCE attacked the ball a hell of a lot harder then us in the first quarter.

 

[Lord Cochrane]

the point everybody misses with umpiring, is the actual decisions dont get up peoples noses until the inconsistency comes in.

This is it exactly.

Back in my playing days we would love it when we had only one field umpire it meant that no matter how bad the umpires interpretation of the rules was it was generally bad both ways so there was no impact on the result of the game by the umpire and typically by the half time you know what to expect so can adjust your game for it.
The problems occured when there were two umpires and you end up having no consistency in the decisions they make. This just leads to frustration and anger.

 

[stugots]

& that'd be fine if they applied it consistently, but they dont, cant recall which bomber got pinged later in the game for the same 'incorrect disposal' they had been letting go all game & of course the crowd gets feral

the point everybody misses with umpiring, is the actual decisions dont get up peoples noses until the inconsistency comes in. If they are consistent with anything, right or wrong, thats fine.

not everybody

 

[Dave]

It amazes me that in this day and age we still expect perfection from umpires yet accept fallibility from players and coaches. We are all human, we all make mistakes. Get over it, there's a hell of a lot more in life to be worried about than this.

 

[Kong]

There sure is, but for a few hours each week, people like to go to/watch their football side play. It's entertainment, it's a passion/hobby, it's a distraction.

To have the basic entitlements and expectations stomped on by a protected bunch of little men is frustrating. It's not hard, surely: call the obvious ones, leave the dubious ones; not the other way around.

Funnily, that seems to be happening right now. They miss the clear ones like dropping the ball, in the back, yet make guesses on 50/50 situations where arguably, nothing needs to be done.

 

[stugots]

It amazes me that in this day and age we still expect perfection from umpires yet accept fallibility from players and coaches. We are all human, we all make mistakes. Get over it, there's a hell of a lot more in life to be worried about than this.

could have fooled me with the goings on of late...

 

[Slattery_20]

2 of the 3 umpires from the GC game didn't get a run this week. Worst display of barracking I've EVER seen.

 

[yaco55]

The world is sick of the umpires and their inability to make consistent and correct calls. The fact that Naitanui was playing rugby out there at times was pathetic.

I don't think many of us would be upset if the umpiring was consistent, but the fact that calls our way are overlooked only for the opposition to receive a free for the same indiscretion a minute later is extremely frustrating.

Get used to it.

It has been happening for over 100 years.

 

[fairlight_cmi]

call the obvious ones, leave the dubious ones; not the other way around.

I don't know how they can constantly **** this up. It's not hard, and will result in a better spectacle all round. Just let them play dammit, if an obvious free kick is there then pay it.

All we ask for is consistency. If they payed 0 frees per game i'm sure no one would have any complaints (other than the players after being battered and bruised for no reward )

 

[ant555]

Just watched the Gold Coast game again and Hurley got away with an obvious Nic Nat one hand handball

 

[Summer Nights]

Yes, but bad calls or not, there was far more than just the officiating which limited us to two goal quarters in 1 & 2. ie. not manning up, getting smashed in clearances.

I felt like we were not utilising our pace, and trying to play west coast's game, which is reliant on their large players. In quarters 2 & 3 the boys started running the ball, and it absolutely killed them. Jetta was easily one of our best

Yeah I get that. I'll be the first to admit I whinge about the umps a fair bit, but I'm certainly not one who doesn't focus on what the team needs to do better. We all see the things we could do better to win.

I just expect better umpiring. We all pay for it through the cost of our tickets. We know it can be better because we've all seen fair and reasonably umpired games. We know they're human, we get that they make mistakes, but that doesn't mean we just accept mediocrity. We shouldn't have to worry about playing an extra 10% better to make sure we overcome them. If we play 2% better than that should be good enough for a win. Against Sydney, it wasn't.

 

[Phone]

I have always felt that abusing the umpires is part of supporting your team. It definitely puts pressure on them. Yesterday was an anomaly in that we'd normally expect to get a ride from the umpires at home against an interstate side.

amazing.

 

[Dave]

There sure is, but for a few hours each week, people like to go to/watch their football side play. It's entertainment, it's a passion/hobby, it's a distraction.

I get that mate, I've been doing it since I was knee high, and now take my own boys, when they're not playing themselves. Believe me I know people are passionate about their footy.

To have the basic entitlements and expectations stomped on by a protected bunch of little men is frustrating. It's not hard, surely: call the obvious ones, leave the dubious ones; not the other way around.

I don't see it that way - without umpires we don't have a game. They have an incredibly difficult job to do - making close to, if not more than 1000 decisions every match. There might be 10 or so they get wrong, which is not a bad strike rate. I know people will dispute the number of mistakes they make, but supporters can't be objective, we look at things from our point of view - you never hear supporters screaming at decisions that go their way. I've lost count of the times I've looked at something live and thought they were wrong only to watch it on replay later and see they got it right. Sure, they'll make mistakes when they're out of position or on the wrong side of play to see something, but short of 10 umps or instant replay of every decision that will never be fixed.

Funnily, that seems to be happening right now. They miss the clear ones like dropping the ball, in the back, yet make guesses on 50/50 situations where arguably, nothing needs to be done.

Yet we don't know what they are being coached to do. With the changes to incorrect disposal wrt tackles knocking the ball free it's made it far more subjective as to whether a free should be payed or play on called. We look at decisions and think guesses are being made, but short of being out on the ground it's very hard to know for sure what's happening. If a player, for example Mcphee v Richmond, looks like he took a mark but the ball pops out momentarily, out of view of an ump, we all say he guessed, however it's not unreasonable to make that call when you look at it from their viewpoint. If they didn't pay the mark the other side jump on them for guessing. It's a no win situation.

It's taken me a long time to reach the viewpoint I hold now - I used to rant and rave, but listening to my kids start to parrot me made me stop and think a bit, particularly once they started playing junior footy - more on that later.
When the HUN started publishing stats on clangers it also highlighted that, as much as an umpire might make the odd blue, the mistakes players make have a far bigger impact on the game as there are just so many more of them.

When I started coaching and spent time talking to the kids about umpiring and that in all the time I've played and watched I've never seen an ump change their decision because someone complained it just clarified for me the pointlessness of whinging. The umpiring department looks at their performance objectively - anyone who thinks they don't is kidding themselves, these are men earning in some cases up to 100K a year and organisations like the AFL don't just hand that sort of money out without scrutiny of performance.

Back to junior footy. The single biggest issue facing junior football is a lack of umpires coming through the system. Kids don't want to umpire because they spend all their time being abused. Why? Because the attitude that saw our fans think booing the umps off the field was more important than cheering our players seeps down to local footy and onto junior footy. Seeing grown men abusing 12 year old kids is not a good look, and the sort of people who carry on like they did on sunday are exactly the sort who do that at junior footy. And what does it achieve? Nothing. Does it change the AFL's opinions? The Umpiring departments? I don't think it achieves anything, so for mine it's just a waste of energy.

I'll get off the soap box now

 

[stugots]

Just watched the Gold Coast game again and Hurley got away with an obvious Nic Nat one hand handball

yeh, just finished with the West Coast game & saw a couple Bombers get away with the same, end of the day the umps weren't too bad bar a handful of decisions, but still some decisions leave me thinking the bong's getting passed around a bit too much at Geiche's house done a few things off my face, umpiring a game of footy would have been a blast I guess

 

[yaco55]

My request

We dont allow team changes to be discussed until 24 hours after the game - To allow our emotions to cool down - Should this be applied to any discussion about umpires.

 

[stugots]

My request

We dont allow team changes to be discussed until 24 hours after the game - To allow our emotions to cool down - Should this be applied to any discussion about umpires.

happy to second that with the proviso that all commenting must have watched the replay