Rules Umpiring Consistency

TheYid

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May 8, 2007
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There's been a few games this year where I've said that the umpiring was intrusive and even overly influential. At least once I've felt that the umpries were trying to get noticed to secure their own finals gig.
 
Apr 29, 2016
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To think this is too close on Pickett is a joke. To think, in a final especially, that this warrants a 50m is a sackable offence. i cant stand how much todays game is influenced by umpires. Syd deserved to win but we deserved a chance to win the game. Not with calls like this.
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Sep 30, 2008
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To think this is too close on Pickett is a joke. To think, in a final especially, that this warrants a 50m is a sackable offence. i cant stand how much todays game is influenced by umpires. Syd deserved to win but we deserved a chance to win the game. Not with calls like this. View attachment 1497859
He was inside the 10 metres where the Umpire was stationed - it’s a 50 metre any day of the week - that is the rule - if you don’t like it take it up with the AFL, the players know the rule
 

Maddo11

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Apr 17, 2010
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To think this is too close on Pickett is a joke. To think, in a final especially, that this warrants a 50m is a sackable offence. i cant stand how much todays game is influenced by umpires. Syd deserved to win but we deserved a chance to win the game. Not with calls like this. View attachment 1497859
Still shot only tells a bit of the story. He was also cutting across towards the MOTM, when he needs to be going away towards to ump.
 

MagpieJo

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Nov 30, 2013
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To think this is too close on Pickett is a joke. To think, in a final especially, that this warrants a 50m is a sackable offence. i cant stand how much todays game is influenced by umpires. Syd deserved to win but we deserved a chance to win the game. Not with calls like this. View attachment 1497859
That rule needs to be abolished or the penalty changed, it’s deciding games and it’s such bullshit!
 
Apr 29, 2016
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Still shot only tells a bit of the story. He was also cutting across towards the MOTM, when he needs to be going away towards to ump.
no he wasn't . watch it again. he was running in a straight line. And if he isn't too close he can run in any direction he wants. A terrible decision which gave another easy goal away.
 

BF Tiger

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Jun 5, 2007
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To think this is too close on Pickett is a joke. To think, in a final especially, that this warrants a 50m is a sackable offence. i cant stand how much todays game is influenced by umpires. Syd deserved to win but we deserved a chance to win the game. Not with calls like this. View attachment 1497859
Agreed. Terrible call. Where's the "common sense" rule they were using earlier in the year?
 

Ghossein

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Jul 16, 2009
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Umpiring quality has deteriorated with the implementation of new rules, and it makes sense from a psychology perspective.

More rules make the game more complicated from an officiating perspective, and introduce more grey area into every on-field moment.

Umpires are humans with their own biases, perspectives, values, etc. All the new grey area can only lead to inconsistency. I don't see anyway you can remove the inconsistency without the AFL implementing rule consistency (within seasons and between seasons) and simplification.
 
Sep 30, 2008
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The consistency is non existent even within games, my query is where the majority of umpires originate from.

There is little to zero impartiality for the non AFL states.
All AFL Umpires come from their development pathway think TAC Cup but for umpires most kids start out playing find they don’t like it or aren’t much good at it and then try boundary umpiring and switch across. In the bush we use the same system yet most of our umpires are former players who want to remain involved. I am obviously biased but I believe the 2nd option produces better decision makers. Remembering umpires don’t make the rules and it takes a certain amount of games to get a comfortable feel for balancing the rules as they are written and how they are then interpreted. You will rarely ever hear the AFL say Umpire made a mistake because so much of it is subjective and up to interpretation, however if you’ve got one person going hard on HTB and the others being a bit more common sense ish it becomes very difficult. The thing most observers fail to understand is that the person playing the ball must be given every opportunity to do so, once he has had an opportunity to dispose of the ball then that benefit is lost. The issues always arise in “why is prior opportunity“. But the other big one is if the ball is knocked out in the tackle by the tackler and the player has not had a prior opportunity then it is play on. The head high / ducking stuff is difficult but it’s a judgement call based upon your experience and as a former player that helps a lot.

Personally, I like the stand rule and protected area as it gives the person in possession some protection from being blindsided. It also encourages the ball to be moved quickly and prevent packs from forming.

I have no problem with the rules or interpretations as they currently stand. I would just hope that they stick with what they’ve got for a bit.
 
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