Umpiring

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Nice to see the C7 commentary team blatantly refuse to question one umpiring decision, guess we now know Carey was right, not bagging the umpires is written into the TV rights contract.
The whole community of football commentators are employed directly and indirectly by the AFL ad the whims and wishes of the AFL .
They would have pretty nice jobs and pay packets but never question anything seriously , maybe a comment as game goes on the day.

I find Gerard and Robbo behave like school prefects and talk like its a world wide need for the head to be sacrosanct, every bodies head is sacrosanct everywhere, when you play football it is at risk, so my question is really why? The over kill of rules changing, to change the game where the free kick and penalties of pure nonsense are used. And frees almost rule the sport now.

Why has the AFL gone down this track, and example is the undisputed horrible use of the 50 metre penalty, Really "a toe over the mark"? Or a word in frustration about a decision "A FIFTY METRE PENALTY??" does any administrator have a clue about pressure at that level, any level anyone who has played at any level has emotions and venting them is normal, give a fifty metre penalty that could result in a score, only made things worse.

I find that umpires talk down to some players, I find it becomes infuriating to watch, as I've been whinging about this for years.
I have seen the game change, and I have seen unfairness rule the games and have spoken about it featuring all the 18 teams.
Not just the Hawthorn FC. I think players and coaches should be able to publicly complain about decisions.

I believe there should be an option for players to formally complain about umpires mistakes ( or even have an avenue to report an umpire for incompetence) of which the greyness creates so many bad decisions. Again no blame on the trigger fingered umpire.

The AFL are to blame directly for bad decision by the umpires .They follow perceptions in split seconds that are all different per umpire!
They follow rules to the ultra extent, the only way I can describe is calling Finger Tip touches on a shoulder as around the neck the Umps either hammer it, let it go or miss it?
There are frees galore that are doubtful every game every week, and some thing needs to be said, but when I whinge about it on Big Footy, wanting to get some debate going, that may have some AFL people taking notice.
I get abused by the blind or the easily pleased. And I get told off for writing too many words, so I better get off.

But this McLachlan administration has butchered the game as we know it, or knew it, and how can an umpire win and lose a game ? Unfortunately they can, as can the AFL MRP. Maynard lucky from the AFL inquisition, Sicily massacred by it the most unbelievable decision I have ever witnessed. That is the politically correct AFL .Proper covering insurance stops litigation, or don't play the sport.

We need black and white rules, simple fair. Right now, the rules and the number of umpires is a gamblers paradise.

If that gambler has a certain form. You know what I mean!
 
I’m not sure too many people understand just how few frees they are paying compared to 20, 30, 40 years ago. We have 4 umpires and they are missing more than ever, it’s the poorest standard I can remember.

They basically never pay in the back, blocks (outside of ruck contests), holding the man, arm chops, high tackles are now hard to get and players also get too much leniency when legally tackled.

From well over 50, 60 frees plus a game in the 70s & 80s down to around 30 today.

The game is suffering for it. I blame insecure men who want to be seen as ‘hard men’ whinging about ‘soft frees’. Well this is what you get. No actual deserved frees paid, and a weird focus on protected areas & stands.
 
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I’m not sure too many people understand just how few frees they are paying compared to 20, 30, 40 years ago. We have 4 umpires and they are missing more than ever, it’s the poorest standard I can remember.

They basically never pay in the back, blocks (outside of ruck contests), holding the man, arm chops, high tackles are now hard to get and players also get too much leniency when legally tackled.

From well over 50, 60 frees plus a game in the 70s & 80s down to around 30 today.

The game is suffering for it. I blame insecure when who want to be seen as ‘hard men’ whinging about ‘soft frees’. Well this is what you get. No actual deserved frees paid, and a weird focus on protected areas & stands.
This is long if you don't read too well or can't be bothered don't.

Correct its what they miss or interpret wrongly. You can't really blame the Umpires they follow their training and instruction to the point of way way over adjudication with no black and white rules.
And if ever a day looked like umpires were barracking for a winner it was today.
I don't mean shouting out loud barracking.
I mean the way they picked their shots they were going to call the game and chances were destroyed by umpiring decisions , and the game should never be that way.
It is today. I follow no Brisbane or Carlton but I found todays game just so disappointing in how the many times I could not understand why 50 metre penalties were called.

I still can't understand the 50m full stop, when it can be paid for a slip of a foot while a human body is in motion.

Who in gods name sat, at AFL house, and decided that we'd protect the head from violent acts on the field, in all instances even a fingernail or barely touching or arm punching or slipping over , then the same fool decides oh we won't use the 50m for over the top acts of toughness anymore .
Nah we'll penalise a blokes FIFTY METRES for getting angry when one of the super boy umpires, running the show, feel insulted or demeaned, for havens sake.
Its football.Every one gets angry and with so many, way way unfair penalties, for these bloody umpires to choose from the game these days, it has turned into a free kick driven sport, free kick NUMBERS, do not matter its how and why and when and where they are called?
And the ones that are called and are legit do happen, but I see too many petty unneeded goals and points scored these days for frees that I have no idea what for or they are not affecting or interfering with the player, who gets the free kick, like calling an out on the full deliberately , when did we start playing basketball with 18 a side.

Umpires destroyed Carltons comeback try out. I don't think Carlton were good enough today , after the first quarter, but don't anybody ever try to tell me that umpires didn't have an affect on that game today, they called a lot and missed a lot, even a 50m for god knows what, scored a goal for Carlton.
Umpires and the AFL interference with the game have been happening since the McLachlan and Demetriou regime came about.

Since the AFL have introduced new grey rules every year for over 15 years, since that Hocking fellow was given an open door to manipulate the game and the rules and if you are a true follower of it, you may be blind if you cannot see what I am saying and have been saying on BF for 3 years less than 20 years .
One last comment, I think counting frees from the 70's and 80's and 90's and up to the 2004 season is a miscount, I believe the "free kick" rules like a dictator now.
And I who have been following this sport for well over 60 years , I don't remember 70 or 80 free kicks per game, but now its eased the last two to three years, but its eased up a bit why?
Because umpires who have the availability of many new free kicks, they are instructed not to call certain ones in certain games and weeks , yes you remember?. Because the fans are getting peed off at times.
All we can hope for is that they put the damned whistles away next week.
It would have been great today to see how Brisbane would have faired ( I think quite well ) if a fifty metre penalty didn't give them another momentum killing goal against Carlton, at the start of the last quarter? and they had to fight out a real catch up.

Who can tell me what the 50 was for in desperate times. These umpires have no feel for the game!

The Lions will have to play all day at full pace next week. No way out.
 
This is long if you don't read too well or can't be bothered don't.

Correct its what they miss or interpret wrongly. You can't really blame the Umpires they follow their training and instruction to the point of way way over adjudication with no black and white rules.
And if ever a day looked like umpires were barracking for a winner it was today.
I don't mean shouting out loud barracking.
I mean the way they picked their shots they were going to call the game and chances were destroyed by umpiring decisions , and the game should never be that way.
It is today. I follow no Brisbane or Carlton but I found todays game just so disappointing in how the many times I could not understand why 50 metre penalties were called.

I still can't understand the 50m full stop, when it can be paid for a slip of a foot while a human body is in motion.

Who in gods name sat, at AFL house, and decided that we'd protect the head from violent acts on the field, in all instances even a fingernail or barely touching or arm punching or slipping over , then the same fool decides oh we won't use the 50m for over the top acts of toughness anymore .
Nah we'll penalise a blokes FIFTY METRES for getting angry when one of the super boy umpires, running the show, feel insulted or demeaned, for havens sake.
Its football.Every one gets angry and with so many, way way unfair penalties, for these bloody umpires to choose from the game these days, it has turned into a free kick driven sport, free kick NUMBERS, do not matter its how and why and when and where they are called?
And the ones that are called and are legit do happen, but I see too many petty unneeded goals and points scored these days for frees that I have no idea what for or they are not affecting or interfering with the player, who gets the free kick, like calling an out on the full deliberately , when did we start playing basketball with 18 a side.

Umpires destroyed Carltons comeback try out. I don't think Carlton were good enough today , after the first quarter, but don't anybody ever try to tell me that umpires didn't have an affect on that game today, they called a lot and missed a lot, even a 50m for god knows what, scored a goal for Carlton.
Umpires and the AFL interference with the game have been happening since the McLachlan and Demetriou regime came about.

Since the AFL have introduced new grey rules every year for over 15 years, since that Hocking fellow was given an open door to manipulate the game and the rules and if you are a true follower of it, you may be blind if you cannot see what I am saying and have been saying on BF for 3 years less than 20 years .
One last comment, I think counting frees from the 70's and 80's and 90's and up to the 2004 season is a miscount, I believe the "free kick" rules like a dictator now.
And I who have been following this sport for well over 60 years , I don't remember 70 or 80 free kicks per game, but now its eased the last two to three years, but its eased up a bit why?
Because umpires who have the availability of many new free kicks, they are instructed not to call certain ones in certain games and weeks , yes you remember?. Because the fans are getting peed off at times.
All we can hope for is that they put the damned whistles away next week.
It would have been great today to see how Brisbane would have faired ( I think quite well ) if a fifty metre penalty didn't give them another momentum killing goal against Carlton, at the start of the last quarter? and they had to fight out a real catch up.

Who can tell me what the 50 was for in desperate times. These umpires have no feel for the game!

The Lions will have to play all day at full pace next week. No way out.
I’m nearly 50 JJ, a lot of those those old games are all online to see if you want to take a look. Personally I blame the people who whinged relentlessly about ‘staging’ for frees, complaining about players diving forward for in the back or ducking for high frees, for some of this massive over correction and the tacklers & defenders now having more rights than the player with the ball.

There seems to be some people, let’s call them non-creative types who want things to be in favour of the tackler. Well they are now reaping what they have sown.
 
I’m not sure too many people understand just how few frees they are paying compared to 20, 30, 40 years ago. We have 4 umpires and they are missing more than ever, it’s the poorest standard I can remember.

They basically never pay in the back, blocks (outside of ruck contests), holding the man, arm chops, high tackles are now hard to get and players also get too much leniency when legally tackled.

From well over 50, 60 frees plus a game in the 70s & 80s down to around 30 today.

The game is suffering for it. I blame insecure men who want to be seen as ‘hard men’ whinging about ‘soft frees’. Well this is what you get. No actual deserved frees paid, and a weird focus on protected areas & stands.

The advantage of instantly blowing the whistle and either paying a free or balling up is the congestion doesnt have time to build up, and a mistake here or there out of 50 frees isnt that much of an issue.

Commentators didnt get bogged down in discussions on them either. Just called the game.

The biggest issue is all year umpires gave fewer and fewer 50m penalties then in the Prelims they suddenly remembered them.

We have zero clue what the umpires are going to do next weekend.
 
The advantage of instantly blowing the whistle and either paying a free or balling up is the congestion doesnt have time to build up, and a mistake here or there out of 50 frees isnt that much of an issue.

Commentators didnt get bogged down in discussions on them either. Just called the game.

The biggest issue is all year umpires gave fewer and fewer 50m penalties then in the Prelims they suddenly remembered them.

We have zero clue what the umpires are going to do next weekend.
That’s a good point also. The 50 frees is also important - a couple of debatable frees paid we can live with when they are actually paying frees & following some sort of standard for the game.

There were 128 tackles in the Pies Giants game - only 24 frees! Not sure how many were on the full or insufficient intent either.
 
That’s a good point also. The 50 frees is also important - a couple of debatable frees paid we can live with when they are actually paying frees & following some sort of standard for the game.

There were 128 tackles in the Pies Giants game - only 24 frees! Not sure how many were on the full or insufficient intent either.

Hawks once laid 100 tackles against the Dogs for zero frees. It has become insane.

And its the AFL at fault, not the umpires. They want the ball always in motion. But then also have a moronic Ball Up rule with nominating rucks.
 
Free kicks spread the field and should be paid if they're there. Instead they ignore it and a pack forms and it becomes a maul.

Ironically, the one they're hot on (deliberate out of bounds) actually increases congestion as teams don't leave players on the flank/wing
 

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