Umpiring Who here has actually umpired a game of footy?

[ManInWhite]

Because you have to stop the game to pull the guy up.

Some players just think they have to be a tool. Once I had a player lose his boot as he kicked the ball. An opponent grabbed the boot and chucked it away. Gave the player a warning and told him any more stunts like that and he'd be on the bench for misconduct. But guys like that drive their coaches crazy too.

 

[Lions_Fan]

Can anyone tell me what the best way to get into umpiring is? Should I give my local umpiring group a ring or e-mail, or do I just turn up to training? Also, I assume umpires take a break during the off-season, when do most groups start training again?

 

[ManInWhite]

Can anyone tell me what the best way to get into umpiring is? Should I give my local umpiring group a ring or e-mail, or do I just turn up to training? Also, I assume umpires take a break during the off-season, when do most groups start training again?

Do a google search for your local footy league and check out their website. There will most likely be a section with contact details for the umpiring group. Most competitions have formal pre-season start early February but you'll often find a core group of the umpires in most comps getting together informally a little bit earlier.

 

[Lions_Fan]

Do a google search for your local footy league and check out their website. There will most likely be a section with contact details for the umpiring group. Most competitions have formal pre-season start early February but you'll often find a core group of the umpires in most comps getting together informally a little bit earlier.

Thank you, that was a lot of help

 

[robstewart23]

Has anyone else had any problems or reported players, officials, etc?

I had a similar one a few years ago. Goal ump was useless and her dad was running boundary. A player had a wild shot for goal and it went on the full by metres. I was right behind the kick and saw it clearly as did every player in the area. She signals a point and everyone just starts going off. I ask her if she really saw it and she says no. I overule and signal on the full. The half time siren goes a few minutes later and we walk off to the umps room. As soon as we are in the door, her father explodes and asks me why I didn't ask him for his opinion. I told him he could not have seen it because he was on centre wing (I may have also questioned his fitness at this point). Anyway he grabs me and pins me against the wall, screaming abuse. I was bigger than him and just wanted to drop him but before I could the goalies come through the door and his daughter starts yelling at him to let me go because she was wrong. The second half was very awkward to say the least.

 

[Greater Gattsby]

And all of that could have been avoided if she attended extra training and paid much more attention. Goal umpire try outs are also an option.

 

[cos789]

Do a google search for your local footy league and check out their website. There will most likely be a section with contact details for the umpiring group. Most competitions have formal pre-season start early February but you'll often find a core group of the umpires in most comps getting together informally a little bit earlier.

Yes, it's best to get the human touch and introduce yourself. Most umpiring organistaions crave new members and you'll impress them by doing any pre-season. If you haven't run much before then it's doubly important to do a pre season. It's a great way to make friends as well.

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[jake_tha_peg]

Go and re

Because you have to stop the game to pull the guy up.

Some players just think they have to be a tool. Once I had a player lose his boot as he kicked the ball. An opponent grabbed the boot and chucked it away. Gave the player a warning and told him any more stunts like that and he'd be on the bench for misconduct. But guys like that drive their coaches crazy too.

-read the timewasting rule. definitely does not apply.

What you should have done is NOT stop the play but have a quiet word at the first break in play and ask the player to stop BUT the player is under no obligation to stop calling play on. If anything it shows great initiative on his part. The player has not infringed any rule of the game. You can not pay a free. You cannot send him off. You might make a very weak case for saying this is misconduct but you would be making a tool of yourself and be accused of being way too precious and power crazy and yes I am a long-time senior suburban ump of over 500 games.

 

[cos789]

If anything it shows great initiative on his part.

You've got to be joking. The idea of umpiring is to umpire a game of Australian Football
not control a creche.

The player has not infringed any rule of the game.

That's right, he's infringed a law of the game if it interferrred with the flow of the game.
I suppose a player who's attending to an injury is fair game too.

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[ManInWhite]

Jake - with due respect I don't agree but I don't mind you following your own plan. Far from being seen as over zealous, I think you'll actually find the other players are relieved someone is stopping the prat from being a nuisance.

 

[jake_tha_peg]

You've got to be joking. The idea of umpiring is to umpire a game of Australian Football
not control a creche.




That's right, he's infringed a law of the game if it interferrred with the flow of the game.
I suppose a player who's attending to an injury is fair game too.

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With an attitude like that you would do well in the AFL - we as umpires are there ONLY to enforce the rules using common sense. We are not there to be the centre of attention or impose yourself on the game (as is done in the AFL). The old saying is that you have umpired well if noone noticed you that day.

You cannot penalise a player for being a goose. The fact is he has not broken ANY rule (if you think he has then quote me the rule and the subsection you think he has breached). He hasn't wasted time as you describe it because play was continuing when he called play on. Do everyone a favour - put the whistle äway"and just let the players play.

 

[cos789]

He hasn't wasted time as you describe it because play was continuing when he called play on.

Here is what I posted. Clearly the implication is play had stopped.

Once a player was yelling "play on" everytime the opposition received a free kick.

Play was not continuing when the oppostion player continually called out "play on".
It was an opposition player not on the mark so it possibly sounded as if it was coming from the umpire.
I had to inform both the player on the mark and the player on the mark to wait for my call.
How is the umpire supposed to be unseen if he is yelling out "no I didn't call play on, wait for my call"?
It's time wasting pure and simple.

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[jake_tha_peg]

Sorry but re-read the Time wasting rule. It does not apply. Next you will tell me a player pulling a face at the umpire is abuse. Some players do cross the line in their behaviour but although this player might have taken it right up to the line - he has not crossed it. One could argue (successfully) that the best way to deal with this situation would be to ignore it and let the players worry about it. When the player in question worked out that his "trick" was no longer working then he would cut it out. Alternatively even though the opp player called play on - if anyone comes in and infringes on the 5m protected area - you would still pay 50m. against them. I bet if this happened then his own teammates would get him to knock it off. It all comes back to my point about not imposing yourself on the game unecessarily.

 

[cos789]

One could argue (successfully) that the best way to deal with this situation would be to ignore it and let the players worry about it.

Don't you think that crossed my mind? He was inferering with general play.
People who aren't umpires say, "use common sense", "umpire in the spirit of the games" etc.
It's common sense when the player is interfering with the game.
It's not the spirit of the game to trick player who has fairly won the ball.
You're not allowed to throw grass at the kicker.
It's a game of of football and increasingly the laws acknowledge the fact that someone who cleanly and clearly wins a contest has the right to take his kick unhindered.
Common sense says that I went up to the player and quietly warned him and he stopped.
It worked. It was much better than trying to control a circus. The umpire's adviser thought it deserved a free kick. By warning I avoided a free kick and stamping unwanted authority on the game.
It's not like a player was doing a handstand or some of the usual trick.
If an opposition player infringed on the protected area then certainly paying a 50m would have probably worked. You haven't really put yourself in the position I have stated. A player is continuosly calling out "play on" and I am continuously answering "that's not me, wait for my call".
Do you realise how much of circus that appears, how disruptive and confusing that appears?
Would you even bother to overide the call?
Letting a player fall for such silliness - is that what football is all about?
There are lots of little tricks that aren't in the spirit of the game.
We use simple common sense or in some cases amend laws.
Deliberate rushed scores and "diving" - new laws.
Tricks like not attempting to catch the ball when it thrown to you or dropping the ball after a mark to try and invoke a 50m penalty - we see simple common sense prevail most times.
This mantra of "it's part of the game" is false - playing football in the spirt of the game is what it is all about.

Taking this to the nth degree; now we are faced with a huge decision - do we allow the game to evolve or do we introduce more laws to force football to have a certain appearance. Most people do not know that American Football is a simple game with a lot of rules so it always plays out the same way. We could force football to appear older style simply with the introduction of one law requiring a minimum number of players in one zone. Do we want this? We pride ourselves on not having an offside law in general play. The only thing that prevents further degradation of our game is that winning styles employ the premise "deliver the ball as quickly as possible into the forward line". However more coaches are going out not to lose rather than out there to win.

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[jake_tha_peg]

Don't you think that crossed my mind? He was inferering with general play.
People who aren't umpires say, "use common sense", "umpire in the spirit of the games" etc.
It's common sense when the player is interfering with the game.
It's not the spirit of the game to trick player who has fairly won the ball.
You're not allowed to throw grass at the kicker.
It's a game of of football and increasingly the laws acknowledge the fact that someone who cleanly and clearly wins a contest has the right to take his kick unhindered.
Common sense says that I went up to the player and quietly warned him and he stopped.
It worked. It was much better than trying to control a circus. The umpire's adviser thought it deserved a free kick. By warning I avoided a free kick and stamping unwanted authority on the game.
It's not like a player was doing a handstand or some of the usual trick.
If an opposition player infringed on the protected area then certainly paying a 50m would have probably worked. You haven't really put yourself in the position I have stated. A player is continuosly calling out "play on" and I am continuously answering "that's not me, wait for my call".
Do you realise how much of circus that appears, how disruptive and confusing that appears?
Would you even bother to overide the call?
Letting a player fall for such silliness - is that what football is all about?
There are lots of little tricks that aren't in the spirit of the game.
We use simple common sense or in some cases amend laws.
Deliberate rushed scores and "diving" - new laws.
Tricks like not attempting to catch the ball when it thrown to you or dropping the ball after a mark to try and invoke a 50m penalty - we see simple common sense prevail most times.
This mantra of "it's part of the game" is false - playing football in the spirt of the game is what it is all about.

Taking this to the nth degree; now we are faced with a huge decision - do we allow the game to evolve or do we introduce more laws to force football to have a certain appearance. Most people do not know that American Football is a simple game with a lot of rules so it always plays out the same way. We could force football to appear older style simply with the introduction of one law requiring a minimum number of players in one zone. Do we want this? We pride ourselves on not having an offside law in general play. The only thing that prevents further degradation of our game is that winning styles employ the premise "deliver the ball as quickly as possible into the forward line". However more coaches are going out not to lose rather than out there to win.

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Well I agree with the second part of your post but my view is that it is not the umpires role to do anything but enforce the rules and it is my opinion that as no actual rule was breached then no free kick. I remember seeing an opposition player running from behind a player who had taken a mark loudly calling this players nickname for a handball as he was running past...the player with the ball reacted before he saw the opp players jumper and handpassed the ball to the man running past. This is not far removed from a player calling "play on" but neither example breaks any laws of the game so there is no free kick.

I also hate Kevin Bartletts "change a rule every year" just so the AFL can be seen to be progressive. As with flooding, diving on the ball, rolling auls etc - the game sorts out these blights on the game all by itself. we do not need a rule change (how many frees were paid this year for "rushed behinds"? despite some shockingly blatant examples being let go.

I think we have done this topic to death so that is me over and out

 

[Greater Gattsby]

I think we have done this topic to death

Agreed. Let's drop it.

 

[cos789]

This is not far removed from a player calling "play on"

Except it interferes with the officiating officials.
So a player cannot throw the ball away at a stoppage.etc etc
You realise a player in the backline was charged with time wasting because he was taking a place kick?

I also hate Kevin Bartletts "change a rule every year" just so the AFL can be seen to be progressive.

IMO most changes are in response to coaching tactics.
IMO most people would think these changes are reactive not progressive.

the game sorts out these blights on the game all by itself.

Some progress, but congestion is still commonplace.

how many frees were paid this year for "rushed behinds"?

IMO that shows players aren't deliberately rushing behinds.

I think we have done this topic to death so that is me over and out

Fair enough. I wont bother searching the laws to find the relevent passages supporting my point of view. Just say it is common sense.

 

[cos789]

15.5 FREE KICKS RELATING TO UMPIRE

A Free Kick shall be awarded against a Player

or Official who:-


(e) intentionally, recklessly or negligently
engages in conduct which affects, interferes
with or prevents an Umpire from performing
his or her duties.



Covers just about everything.

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[Colin D'Cops]

Lets keep it on-topic please people.

Has anyone else umpired a game of footy?

I have great memories, as mentioned early on in the thread. Great way to earn some $$$ and keep fit.

 

[cos789]

Lets keep it on-topic please people.

Has anyone else umpired a game of footy?

I have great memories, as mentioned early on in the thread. Great way to earn some $$$ and keep fit.

Both my children became umpires and learnt discipline and gained confidence as well as receiving between $20~$60 a game when $400 a week was a common unskilled wage. A lot of times we'd do Saturday and Sunday as well as being asked to do extra games. Our league supplied a full comliment of umpires so it was easy for a family to umpire.Some umpires were near professionals doing multiple games a week.
But don't ever hide the fact that umpiring is about making decisions and controversity is always not too far away.
When my daughter started umpiring the juniors a gun player was running down the centre of the ground and she blew her whistle. The coach from that team yelled out agressively "what was that for". As it happenned I was tanding close nearby. "Because he bounced the ball more than twice" I calmly informed him. You'd think a coach would've know that basic law of modified football. Instead of being quiet he did the usual adult thing and go on the defensive. "What would you know" or words to that effect. Calmly, I informed him that I was an umpire.
One thing I learned from being an umpire is that you cannot

 

[Colin D'Cops]

... cannot please everyone and need a thick skin? Most definitely.

I copped a lot of s**t over half a dozen seasons, but I used to just laugh in my head. The higher up the ages were, such as the U16s and U18s, the quieter the audience was. The parents used to take the footy more seriously then their kids in U10s, 12s and 14s.

 

[cos789]

I copped a lot of s**t over half a dozen seasons, but I used to just laugh in my head. The higher up the ages were, such as the U16s and U18s, the quieter the audience was. The parents used to take the footy more seriously then their kids in U10s, 12s and 14s.

Yes, as you move up the grades, the skills get better, the football more open and the players more knowledgeable. I enjoy watching the WAFL because the standard is good and the umpiring seems more "honest" for want of a better word.

 

[Cronos]

I know the argument's been done for a while, but I'm a bit of an AFL Laws nerd and wanted to put my two cents in anyway about the player yelling "Play On".

If the player continued doing it after being asked not to, I would pay a fifty metre penalty under 18.1(g)

18 Fifty Metre Penalty
18.1 When Imposed
Where a field Umpire has awarded a Free Kick or a Mark to a Player, the field Umpire shall also award a Fifty-Metre Penalty in favour of that Player if the field Umpire is of the opinion that any Player or Official
from the opposing side:
(g) engages in any other conduct for which a Free Kick would ordinarily be awarded, in accordance with 16.7 (b);

16.7 Further Breach of Laws Before Disposal
(b) Where a Field Umpire has awarded a Free Kick or a Mark to a Player and before disposing of the football a Player from the opposition Team engages in conduct for which a Free Kick would ordinarily be awarded, then the resultant Free Kick shall be taken where the offence occurred, or a Fifty-Metre Penalty shall be awarded to the Player with the original Free Kick or Mark, whichever is the greater penalty against the offending Team.

15.10 Free Kicks
15.10.1 When Awarded
A Free Kick shall be awarded against a Player or a Team where the field Umpire is of the opinion that:
(f) a Player has engaged in misconduct.

Bitch all you want about the catch-all misconduct, however you only have to get to page 6 of the AFL Laws to read:

D. Purpose of Laws
These Laws explain how a Match of Australian Football is played and seek to attain the following objectives:
(a) to ensure that the game of Australian Football is played in a fair manner and a spirit of true sportsmanship

If it happened again, I'd report under:
19.2 Reportable Offences
19.2.2 Specific Offences
Any of the following types of conduct is a reportable offence;
(p) Any act of misconduct.

 

[cos789]

I know the argument's been done for a while, but I'm a bit of an AFL Laws nerd and wanted to put my two cents in anyway about the player yelling "Play On".

If the player continued doing it after being asked not to, I would pay a fifty metre penalty under 18.1(g)

Because the player was at already taking a free kick then a 50m would be appropiate.
Common sense dictates that you warn a player and in my case a warning sufficed.

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[radiojake]

Two seasons of goal umpiring for my younger brother's primary school footy team back in the day -

Clearly not a very high level and it was only goal umpiring, but it certainly was an interesting experience -

One of my earlier games, and the guys never let this one down, someone had a set shot and it went dead set straight above the goal post (they weren't very high - ) - For some reason I wasn't quite sure what to call, so I told the field umpire 'It sort of went straight over the goal post - ' - to which he said 'ok then it's a point'

So often from then on whenever I made a decision the kids in my brother's team would often yell out
"are you sure it didn't sort of go straight over the goal post?" and laugh away - little shits -