Umpiring

[Homer]

What is it with umpires, they have different interprtations on certain aspects of the game. They can't count, otherwise running further then 15m would be penalised not 25m.
There positioning during play, half the crowd sees a throw and the ump doesn't because he is on the wrong side of the pack. There are 3 of the blind white mice out there and they can't position themselves. running with the flight of the ball, Umpires are not supposed to do that, only players, then when they get hurt they complain.

I have one particular problem, Push in the Back. Cast your minds back rd 14 North Vs Brisbane, last 25 secs Lawrence ridden to China by King 35m out, had of the goal been kicked from a free kick the lions would of been 4th and the Kangas would of been 5th maybe 6th, but the free kick wasn't payed, everyone that saw that would of considered Lawrence unlucky. Only the most one-eyed Kangaroo supporter would of not payed it and the umpire involved, Hayden Kennedy, a North Melbourne supporter since childhood. That needs to be fixed, I don't know how but it need to happen.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

The whole push in the back / holding the ball / throwing the ball away in a tackle thing is an absolute joke and is easily the biggest blot on the game as a whole.

Whenever I try to introduce fans of other sports to Aussie Rules, they point to these ridiculous laws and fall about laughing - seriously. They don't understand them, I don't understand them, I doubt if the umpires do either how can others possibly take this game seriously when nobody understands the rules ? least not the bluddy umpires ?

I have some solutions :

1) it should be OK to tackle a guy from behind, as long as the tackle is applied around the usual hips /waist area and the tacklers arms actually go around the ball carrier (meaning a tackle should be a tackle)

It dosn't matter if the ball carrier is driven face first into the ground, as long as the tackle is technically correct, then it should be allowed.

2) Push in the back should be just that - a push in the back with a hand, elbow, forearm, or even raised knee. No shirtfronts, hard tackles, hip and shoulders, or straight out barging should be considered a push in the back (stop sanitising the game in other words)

3) Dropping the ball when you are tackled should be allowed, will elimnate silly free kicks for 'incorrect disposal' and also might help stop so many pile-ups.

 

[Dave]

BA, why don't we just turn the game into rubgy union while we're at it too? Eliminate incorrect disposal? What we need to eliminate is the inconsistant manner in which it is adjudged. If a player with prior opp is tackled and doesn't correctly dispose of the ball by hand or foot he should be penalised. To remove this would start opur game down the road of becoming RU. It ceretainly wouldn't eliminate packs, it would make them worse!

As for in the back, it is ok to tackle a player from behind. There's a technique invloved in NOT burying them face first into the turf

), the problem is many players don;t bother with it.

We have to be very careful that we don't introduce to many disincentives for players to get the footy in the first place. It is, again however a rule that is interpretated (sp?) differently by different umps, and that is the biggest problem IMVHO.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Ok, sorry, let me just clarify what I meant in that rather confusing thread above.

How many times have you seen a ball carrier get tackled from behind, only to be penalised for a push in the back ?

The tackle is applied perfectly, there is no pushing involved, but because the tackler didn't grab the carrier from slightly to one side, and didn't 'sling' the carrier to the ground, he is penalised.

I think this situation is way, way too subjective for any umpire to interpret the rules with any consistency. For every such tackle penalised for in the back, I have (and you too) seen the decision go the other way (holding the ball)

What I am saying is please simplify and clarify the rule - make it OK to tackle a guy (correctly) in the back, no silly concepts like 'grab him from the side' or 'sling him to the ground' these are just too subjective and the umpire hasn't gotta hope of doing the right thing by the players and the fans.

Also, how many times have you seen a tackled player drop the ball ? - sometimes it is penalised as 'incorrect disposal' other times its 'play on' Again its a case of subjective insconsistency by the umpires. What I am saying is that if the ball spills free in a tackle (whether its knocked free or the carrier just drops it) then it should always be 'Play on'

Oh and one other thing - its most definitely NOT trying to make the game like Rugby Union. In Rugby you are not allowed to drop the ball full stop. Its called a 'knock-on' and play is stopped for a scrum-down.

 

[WCE2000]

I agree with points 1 and 2, BSA, but not with 3. If a player is tackled and he drops the ball that should be a free kick.
The player usually drops the ball in the hope that the umpire will give the ball-carrier a free kick, for being held onto after he has dropped the ball.

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