Analysis Umpiring and the Western Bulldogs

[Leon]

Thanks for the clarification about the AFL review of the GF.

Am I right in saying they only commented publicly on the decisions that supposedly disadvantaged Sydney but were silent on any that disadvantaged us?
That in itself seems pretty odd, especially wrt the biggest game on the AFL calendar.

They only said that Johannisen goal being overturned was the correct decision.

There actually were two other decisions that went against us - when Buddy took that mark in the first quarter he definitely shoved Hamling in the back, and in the second quarter before one of Kennedy's goals, Parker clearly interfered with Wood.

I'm not complaining - they are two decisions that were missed, and we had the rub of the green for sure, but if there was a conspiracy to help us, wouldn't these two fairly obvious free kicks - one which could have lead to a goal, the other one which did - have been paid?

 

[Draft Pick]

Yah! We're still on top of the ladder!

This should be good for 50-60 pages on the main board.

View attachment 393938

If Barrett and his ilk are so concerned about free kick differentials and how unfair it is, then why are they only looking to the top of the list and pointing out who the "pets are". Why not be consistent and say what a shocking run Richmond and GWS are getting.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

They only said that Johannisen goal being overturned was the correct decision.

There actually were two other decisions that went against us - when Buddy took that mark in the first quarter he definitely shoved Hamling in the back, and in the second quarter before one of Kennedy's goals, Parker clearly interfered with Wood.

I'm not complaining - they are two decisions that were missed, and we had the rub of the green for sure, but if there was a conspiracy to help us, wouldn't these two fairly obvious free kicks - one which could have lead to a goal, the other one which did - have been paid?

Yeah, the conspiracy calls are just ridiculous. For starters, as if the AFL has the competency to pull something like that off! And would amateur umpires still be working second jobs if they were getting paid off to rig a national sporting competition worth billions?

It sucks when an opposition team gets the rub of the green, but there are so many 50/50 decisions that umpires have to make in a split second, there are always going to be mistakes. And it all comes around. The Swans certainly benefited from it last weekend against GWS, but there have been plenty of times we've been screwed over too.

 

[Testekill]

The funny thing is that the AFL got rid of third man up but refuse to do anything about the staging and diving rife in one of the Premiership favorites. Or address the fact that hometown bias umpiring is very much a thing that could be combatted with actually employing full time professional umpires.

 

[Ricky_Lake]

i believe it would be accepted if there was consistency in the game, then you can cop some wrong decisions. HTB is so frustrating and as posted before, going up in the marking contest and not touching the ball should be paid. Walker did it last night without penalty.
I think our club need to speak up, we should have put Brad Scott to the sword and had a crack back at him about his whinging about the umpires. His brother is the same and they were bloody sooks when they played. He wasnt even sanctioned over the comments which is staggering TBH.
Another interpretation they need to fix is another player running in the protected zone to to relieve the man on the mark to zone off and pick up another. They should award 50 metres to stop that crap.

 

[dogwatch]

... and as posted before, going up in the marking contest and not touching the ball should be paid. Walker did it last night without penalty.
...

Lynch jumped on top of two WB players last night and completely missed the ball but took our players out of the action. They were the only three players anywhere near the ball. The ball went OOB so it became a 50/50 opportunity in the forward pocket. From the throw-in the Suns got a free and a goal.

IMO a clear free kick against Lynch but they are inconsistent in paying it.

 

[yebiga]

Anyone see the umpiring at the end of the collingwood v west coast game
Bet you there is bugger all media coverage of the successive bewildering decisions to collingwood late in the game.
Collingwood 24 v 14 free kicks

 

[go you pups]

Anyone see the umpiring at the end of the collingwood v west coast game
Bet you there is bugger all media coverage of the successive bewildering decisions to collingwood late in the game.
Collingwood 24 v 14 free kicks

It's a clear media/fan driven agenda against us and it's bullshit

Geelong have gotten massive rubs of the green at times this season too, like against us, Port and on Friday night, yet nothing will be said about them.

 

[bontshow]

But the bottom line is the afl want as even a competition as possible

It's really not. The bottom line is the AFL want to make as much money as possible. Yes, having a close competition can make it more watchable and bring in more money through broadcasting rights etc., but it's money that is the priority and the goal, not the closeness itself. Look at the expansion teams and particularly fixturing for where equalisation comes second to commercial factors

Thanks for the clarification about the AFL review of the GF.

Am I right in saying they only commented publicly on the decisions that supposedly disadvantaged Sydney but were silent on any that disadvantaged us?
That in itself seems pretty odd, especially wrt the biggest game on the AFL calendar.

No, they said the standard of umpiring was below that expected from umpires in regular games, let alone from the best of the best selected for the GF. It was quite unusual and followed Longmire's complaint but didn't say that one side was favoured over another

The GF umpiring highlighted a few things in this debate:

- The amount of weight given to the raw free kick count. The general public are too lazy to look in depth at whether the free kicks were there, or focus on any particular rule being applied incorrectly or inconsistently

- Given the reliance on the raw count, the failure to remove out of bounds on the full frees that are clearly not a matter or interpretation

- The infrequency with which a kick by kick review is performed. Given the importance of the GF and the focus on the umpiring of it, as well as the season being over and having no next week's game to remove the focus, the breakdown was done and discussed in detail, but I haven't seen a breakdown for any other game before or since

- In the kick by kick review, the number of frees that were unequivocal and not contested by any party in the debate. For a game with 28 free kicks awarded that was said to be officiated at below the usual standards, there were only about 8 frees in question, with at least 2 of those being Sydney frees incorrectly awarded or WB frees that were missed

- The lack of any real explanation for a contention that umpiring favours a particular team from week to week, regardless of location. Home ground umpiring advantage around the world is a scientifically studied phenomenon, but a league wide bias regardless of where we played, which umpires were involved and who the opposition was came across as far fetched, with no specifics being presented to show that umpire instructions or interpretations were any different in our matches compared to others. Explanations that we were well disciplined or first to the ball seemed more plausible

Like GF's before it that resulted in rule changes like deliberate rushed behinds and score review, the way in which we won was heavily scrutinised. High tackles from dropping at the knees and raising an arm, third man up and fast hands handballs including between the legs and over the head were undoubtedly competitive advantages of ours last year that were clamped down on for 2017. These tactics were as much the focus as incorrect adjucation of the rules at the time, but as when Hawthorn conceded a series of rushed behinds against Geelong before that rule changed, we were simply better at using those tactics to our advantage than other teams were. There weren't one set of rules for us and one for everyone else

 

[_Mike_]

There's a number of those who purely look at one set of numbers with tunnel vision who blurt the rhetoric - #freekickbulldogs.

An important stat to show in connection to free kicks for:



We have the highest tackle count and average per game. That is not going to be the only factor of free kicks, but influential nonetheless. Notice that Geelong are up there with us in terms of tackles-free kick ratio, yet are also high in the free kicks conceeded

 

[Norm De Guerre]

I like that this stat is now a thing.

 

[MickyG]

Some highlights from the Grand Final:

 

[go you pups]

I like that this stat is now a thing.



View attachment 396330

I'd imagine we are second on differential now with #freekickLions ahead of us now

 

[Doggy]

Some highlights from the Grand Final:

Pretty sad that you're still going with this

 

[Testekill]

Pretty sad that you're still going with this

Let them be little baby bitches about it, make the melts even better

 

[Norm De Guerre]

I'd imagine we are second on differential now with #freekickLions ahead of us now

Indeed.

...and Im shocked to be sitting here.

 

[SonOfScray]

Some highlights from the Grand Final:

My favourite bit is where Hannebery gets his leg ****ed up.

 

[ScragCity]

Some highlights from the Grand Final:

The fact that someone took the time to make this is the most hilarious part.

 

[dogwatch]

Some highlights from the Grand Final:

Thanks for posting that MickyG. I really enjoyed it.

Several times.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Love the dramatic music and sound effects, quality. Do you think if you sent it to the AFL they might reverse the result?

By the way, you're not going to win this year either.

 

[TiAn_]

Some highlights from the Grand Final:

Promising opening with the "slide" where the player on the ground is already stationary when the Swans players runs into him and goes flying, then really hits its straps with the 3 straight push in the back "missed calls" that are each hilariously miles off being pushes in the back.

I'm half convinced this was made by a Bulldogs supporter with an incredible sense of humour.

 

[Doggy]

Wouldn't it be delicious to knock shitney out of the finals with a lopsided free kick count this year

 

[Struggle]

Some highlights from the Grand Final:

I love how much this still burns you guys.

I hope you enjoyed watching that as much as I did.

 

[Super Hans]

Longmire probably made that video himself. He must have nightmares about Beveridge.

He's the Arsene Wenger of the AFL.

 

[Doggy]

Longmire probably made that video himself. He must have nightmares about Beveridge.

He's the Arsene Wenger of the AFL.

Nah they beat us in the latest meaningless game