Umpiring Whats with umpires not knowing or forgetting the rules of the game?

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Jul 26, 2007
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Well it's not just the players who have come out rusty this season. There have been several instances where umpires either don't understand or have forgotten the rules of the game early in the season.

1. Players being taken out after disposing of the ball.

Several times in the first 2 rounds players who were attempting the overlap handball game were tacklesld well after handballing and taken to ground. Umps blew the whistle. Stopped the play and awarded a free back where the player was tackled without the ball.

Commentators mentioned 'Isn't that a 50m down field free?'

This week. Yes the rule seems to have returned after two weeks holiday.

2. Effecting a tackle. North v GWS. Player breaking away bounces the ball. A tackler stretches out to tackle but only holds the gurnsy for a milli second. Player bursts away with ball and kicks.

Umpire calls holding the ball when no tackle was ever made and the player correctly disposed of the ball. Wow.

3. Toby Green Jackie Chan stud's up is back. But the rule.......isn't?

Green took a mark with an extended leg with stud's up impacting Tom Cole front on on the chest.

Didn't we bring in a stud's up rule because of Toby Green doing this?

Seems another rule has been forgotten.

How can my 19 year old know the rules but a professionally paid AFL umpire forgets?
 
In number 2 scenario didn't the GWS player bounce the ball whilst he was being "tackled"?

He bounced the ball yes however no tackle was effected. He grabbed at the gurnsy but didn't stick. He dived and held the gurnsy for a milli second before falling and the player ran off and kicked the ball.

No tackle was made.

In the meantime a player gets tackled, spins around 720 degrees for over 2 seconds held in a tackle, then handballs and its play on.
 

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2. Effecting a tackle. North v GWS. Player breaking away bounces the ball. A tackler stretches out to tackle but only holds the gurnsy for a milli second. Player bursts away with ball and kicks.

a tackle has to be correctly applied within the rules, forcing the player to incorrectly dispose of the football. Holding the jumper isnt a tackle.

3. Toby Green Jackie Chan stud's up is back. But the rule.......isn't?

The MRP has already ruled on this before, a player can do what is reasonable to protect the space when taking a mark. A boot in the air has already been quantified as "reasonable"

How can my 19 year old know the rules but a professionally paid AFL umpire forgets?

Umpires a part time employees, they get a lot of things wrong and are expected to make decisions in a millisecond. They'll never be 100% accurate but this has been a part of the game for 100+ years
 
In the meantime a player gets tackled, spins around 720 degrees for over 2 seconds held in a tackle, then handballs and its play on.

As above, if a player correctly disposes of the footy in a tackle, it's play on.
 
a tackle has to be correctly applied within the rules, forcing the player to incorrectly dispose of the football. Holding the jumper isnt a tackle.



The MRP has already ruled on this before, a player can do what is reasonable to protect the space when taking a mark. A boot in the air has already been quantified as "reasonable"



Umpires a part time employees, they get a lot of things wrong and are expected to make decisions in a millisecond. They'll never be 100% accurate but this has been a part of the game for 100+ years

So stud's up to the chest is reasonable contact?

Did they change the rule again?
 
So stud's up to the chest is reasonable contact?

Did they change the rule again?

Well, I dont think it is reasonable, but keeping up with the rules seems to be like hitting the pinata and hoping for the best..
 
As above, if a player correctly disposes of the footy in a tackle, it's play on.

Duggan was tackled yesterday. Took too long to correctly dispose of it and was pinged.

The issue is how long does a player have to dispose the ball before the tackle is rewarded?

It seems to be taking longer and longer. Then the tackler takes the player to ground as no decision is being made and risks a sling tackle motion or someone does an ankle or knee twisting.
 
Duggan was tackles yesterday. Took too long to dispose of it and was pinged.

Yeah I agree that there does seem to be inconsistencies with the amount of time given to a player.. Holding the ball and incorrect disposal are 2 separate outcomes of a tackle.
 
Holding the ball should be based on immediate legal disposal when tackled.

The current definition allows a player the latitude to find a team mate.

IMHO, as soon as a player tackled, they must immediately kick or handball irrespective of what direction you're facing.

None of the spinning around that's now common.
 
Umpires are very good at forgetting the rules when Richmond play.
Swallowed pips galore.
And frees made to the letter of the law for the Oppo even with a new coach and gameplan.
Also Dimma who could not buy a free at Tiger land,getting frees galore at the Suns.
8 years now but it's been longer than that.
Certain parts of the media,Grant Thomas,Wayne Carey,Tony Shaw and Mark Allen are now realising the BS we cop and making it known on media.
 
a tackle has to be correctly applied within the rules, forcing the player to incorrectly dispose of the football. Holding the jumper isnt a tackle.
I always thought that part of holding the ball interpretation is that if there is player that is running and your tackle slows their pace, then holding the ball can be called even if you correctly dispose of the ball. But grabbing the jumper for a second is not good enough.
 
Have they changed the rules regarding starting positions from free kicks paid after a goal is scored?

In the Hawthorn Melbourne game, Melbourne scored a goal then knocked Sicily over so it is a Hawthorn free kick from the centre to restart. Everyone floods into the Hawthorn forward line while they wait for the game to restart. Shouldn't the 6-6-6 rule still apply in this case and the umpires just completely forgot the rule existed?
 

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I wonder if the Umps are going to continue their lack of whistles for Charlie this season or have they just been banking them all up for Friday night?

Pies fans sooked so much last season that it appears they are afraid of paying him a free for obvious holding this year
 
I wonder if the Umps are going to continue their lack of whistles for Charlie this season or have they just been banking them all up for Friday night?

Pies fans sooked so much last season that it appears they are afraid of paying him a free for obvious holding this year
The Sookpies unfortunately did him dirty.

He's getting mauled every time now.
 
I wonder if the Umps are going to continue their lack of whistles for Charlie this season or have they just been banking them all up for Friday night?

Pies fans sooked so much last season that it appears they are afraid of paying him a free for obvious holding this year
Hawkins has had 349 games of harsher umpiring regarding ignoring opposition infringements than Curnow ever has.
 
Curnow is well look after in the comp. The stats support that. Delusional to think otherwise.

As for the thread, I'm happy to give most umpires (save for Stevic and Williamson usually) the benefit of the doubt as they are being asked to adjudicate on a million things a minute with all of these rules and interpretations.

My amazement this year is with boundary umpires and not being able to properly assess whether it's over or not. Their job is the only one that basically hasn't changed and they seem more confused and unsure than ever before.
 
The protected area seems to have been forgotten. Seeing players lingering close to the kicktaker and making no effort to clear the area, as soon as play on is called they run in to spoil or tackle
 
The protected area seems to have been forgotten. Seeing players lingering close to the kicktaker and making no effort to clear the area, as soon as play on is called they run in to spoil or tackle
I assume you are talking about the Tom Hawkins on James Sicily, in yesterday's game. Poor awareness from Sicily there
 
I assume you are talking about the Tom Hawkins on James Sicily, in yesterday's game. Poor awareness from Sicily there
There was one with stengle too.
But not just that game. All teams are doing it. They very slowly "clear" the area while saying they're following an opponent. But turn on a dime and tackle/impede the kicktaker.

I've said for a while it needs to be like offside in the rugby codes. Stand where you want, but until you're onside you can't make a play at the ball or ball carrier
 

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