Why do goal umpires wave flags?

[JoondalupJ]

You are by far my favourite poster...

Ta, HA HA HA !

 

[JasJasJas]

Just saw it and it occurred to me why do they wave flags after a goal or behind?

I get the flags (used in rugby after a conversion) but why then the hand signals and definitely why use both?

 

[JasJasJas]

I get the flags (as used in rugby after a conversion) but why the hand signals and definitely why use both??

 

[Unknown Identity]

It's a reasonable question.

I always like to think of the repercussions.. what would happen if the umpires didn't wave the flags?

Answer: Nothing, the scoreboard would tick over and it would be a kick in or back to the centre.

It's purely a tradition now.

 

[Spook]

No - not even in junior footy. There is a score keeper, usually time keeper as well at junior level who trumps the goal umpires.

How junior are you talking? In WA All Amateurs, WAFL, Alcock cup, country, Sunday leagues and as far as I know juniors, the goal umpires are the official score recorders and keepers.

 

[JoondalupJ]

I get the flags (used in rugby after a conversion) but why then the hand signals and definitely why use both?

Because its bloody good fun and tradition and something to do and watching the goal umpires if you know what to look for you can pretty well tell what he's going to call one or two fingers, I wouldn't have it any other way and they should be left to it, to call scores. not have bloody bad bad bad camera technology.

Every one makes mistakes but this technology with cameras does an injustice to scores , I reckon the cameras' stuff up much more than an actual person.

We have goal umpires who wave flags because we are bloody brilliant, we Aussie rules people, we love flag waving, behind 4 sticks. We love the goal umps, not so much the field umpires and that is expected any self respecting Aussie rules fan who likes a field umpire, unless he's you dad or your uncle, or maybe your aunty, well you should be hung drawn and quartered and your remains hung off the goal posts at each end of the ground.

I'd also expect any one who didn't complain when the boundary umpires are running too far behind and calls it , out or in , when it isn't, then those people should be paraded around the oval on Grand Final day in a donkey suit.

All of that's why we love goal umpires , more than the others.