Why do umpires give Brownlow votes?

[demondavey]

And they are expected to manage the game? Its a major, major flaw in the AFL system that unfairly favours the midfielders - directly under the nose of the umpires noses 90% of the game. Thats why in 2008 Lance Franklin kicked about 120 goals and didnt win it. Thats why Ablett, Carey or Dunstall never won one. Terribly unfair.

I propose a new system. A panel that is elected, made up of respected past players that understand the game, who sit and watch the game from an advantageous position and can judge the best three based upon their influence on the game. Example, on Sat, Stephen Gilham comprehensively beat Podsiadly. Podsiadly is a very experienced and dangerous forward. restricting him to two goals almost got the Hawks over the line. A poor performance on a good FF could cost you the game. Will he get a vote? No. Was he in the Hawks best? Yes - probabaly top three.

Umpires just have too much on their plate. learning the rules, running 20km a game probably, making decisions and putting up with the crowd and pressure. And they have to judge the best three? Hmmmm

Thoughts?

 

[AG]

I'm sick of panels and respected players because they play favourites. Umpires get it close enough each year and it has historic value. I'd leave it.

 

[Quixote]

The fact that the umpires (the UMPIRES, ffs!!) decide who wins the Brownlow severely devalues the medal for mine.

I've thought this since I could think and personally I rate the MVP (Coaches) and Norm Smith as much higher individual awards.

Umpires have a tonne of things to watch during a game - they also have a natural subjective lean, as they're human after all. They also, naturally, stay where the ball is most - hence, the midfielders medal.

If Dane Swan one day wins the Brownlow I'll stop regarding it whatsoever.

 

[windyhill]

Newspapers do. Coaches do. Coaching panels do. T.V stations do. Radio stations do. You do. Why can`t the umps have a crack ?

 

[Phone]

Isn't the rules committee made up of former players?


Yeah that's worked out well......

 

[demondavey]

I'm sick of panels and respected players because they play favourites. Umpires get it close enough each year and it has historic value. I'd leave it.

Mate come on. The past twenty winners have been midfielders. A couple of Ruckman but they are basically midfielders. Too much is based on possession. Why hasnt Pavlich, Scarlett, Franklin, Carey, Ablett, Silvagni, Dunstall or Fletcher ever won one? These guys are genuine stars and imo far better and have had far better seasons than previous brownlow medal winners.

If it is not previous players then perhaps people that have not played, but respected AFL officials. Unfortunately past players are havily involved. Or even this; umpires that are not operating that round? or they could interchange between umpires?? The umpires that work on a friday night could give the votes on the Sat game? That way you get the different perspective every week and its not the same group giving votes every week, every game.

The fact that a guy like Carey or Ablett never won one is CRAZY. Not to much poor old Silvagni - bestfull back ever. What about G. Jakovich? Hmmm not good

 

[Quixote]

Perhaps aliens should decide who wins it.






No seriously - what about a panel of 4 to 6 ex-coaches, each selected for their nous and objectivity?

......just thinking about that..... it could be the Wallace, Thomas, Blight and Watson

 

[demondavey]

Newspapers do. Coaches do. Coaching panels do. T.V stations do. Radio stations do. You do. Why can`t the umps have a crack ?

Because they should be solely focused on adminstration of the rules. Dont you think that the umpires are biased towards the players around the ball? Mostly the mids? Its unfair. Look at the last 20 years. All midfielders! No forwards, no defenders. Its a JOKE!

 

[Durham Hawks]

the umps are best qualified to decide the brownlow because of the "and fairest" part of the medal

there are games every season where all 3 vote getters had terrible stats

those are the sort of games where the umps got into the rooms and said...let's just give the votes to the players that weren't ****ing out there today.

 

[Quixote]

the umps are best qualified to decide the brownlow because of the "and fairest" part of the medal

there are games every season where all 3 vote getters had terrible stats

those are the sort of games where the umps got into the rooms and said...let's just give the votes to the players that weren't $*#&@ out there today.

good point umpire!!!

 

[The Final Word]

Respected past players pick the All Australian team that contains 4 key position backs, 4 key position forwards and about 7 midfielders. They love them like everyone else.

MVP and coaches awards go to midfielders every year too, Gilham can take his b + f votes and be happy with that.

 

[demondavey]

Respected past players pick the All Australian team that contains 4 key position backs, 4 key position forwards and about 7 midfielders. They love them like everyone else.

MVP and coaches awards go to midfielders every year too, Gilham can take his b + f votes and be happy with that.

Thats my point though, guys like Gilham should be recognised as they are just as good or just as effective as a midfielder. The umpires that are not near the ball should recognise that Gillham kept Pods to 2 goals. Its ridiculous.

 

[asanque]

Umpires can't even umpire well nowadays.

Every year there are some shocking decisions regarding votes from the umpires.

Take this responsibility off them

 

[Durham Hawks]

Respected past players pick the All Australian team that contains 4 key position backs, 4 key position forwards and about 7 midfielders. They love them like everyone else.

MVP and coaches awards go to midfielders every year too, Gilham can take his b + f votes and be happy with that.

the same committee that picks the all australian team also gave lloyd goal of the year

they can't be trusted

 

[rose jam]

MUST be as neutrol as possible or it has no substance to it.

Try and name me a panel that wouldn't have bias? None.

Umpires are absolutely the right people to make the call. Perhaps they just need more coaching on looking outside the midfield for votes. Demetriou was pointing to this after Simon Black was racking up all those votes the other year when he really didn't deserve it and midfielders just dominated the voting. But I doubt they've done anything about it.

I just hope they don't get to look at stats when they do their votes because that really distorts performances.

 

[Mr X]

I dont think the question is so much about why the umpires vote on the player of the year, they can do what they like, just like the coaches, media outlets and players do.

The question is why is the Brownlow medal considered to be the highest individual honour in the game, and to that I have no answer. I think either the AFLPA award, or a mix of coaches, players and media, like the MVP in the US has, would be more reflective.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Mate come on. The past twenty winners have been midfielders.
...
The fact that a guy like Carey or Ablett never won one is CRAZY. Not to much poor old Silvagni - bestfull back ever. What about G. Jakovich? Hmmm not good

Players at the ends of the ground have found it tough to win since the Medal's inception, even in the days when one umpire covered the entire field. Plenty of great players through the years never won it, e.g. 13 of the 21 in the AFL TOTC.

Whether umpires are in the best position to award votes is a moot point; it's the tradition which makes the award. Logically, the MVP should have at least equal prestige, but it simply doesn't.

We've already lost Saturday afternoon footy, home grounds, traditional jumpers and even a club or two, amongst other things. Some issues need addressing, but this isn't one of them.

 

[AG]

Mate come on. The past twenty winners have been midfielders. A couple of Ruckman but they are basically midfielders. Too much is based on possession. Why hasnt Pavlich, Scarlett, Franklin, Carey, Ablett, Silvagni, Dunstall or Fletcher ever won one? These guys are genuine stars and imo far better and have had far better seasons than previous brownlow medal winners.

From the past decade Riewoldt, Franklin and Tredrea are the only non midfielders worthy of the Brownlow imo. I think Tredrea won most of the other media awards in 04 but in 08 and last year when I thought Franklin and Riewoldt were the best players, Ablett cleaned up everything. So most awards lean towards midfielders anyway and rightly so most of the time.

 

[demondavey]

Players at the ends of the ground have found it tough to win since the Medal's inception, even in the days when one umpire covered the entire field. Plenty of great players through the years never won it, e.g. 13 of the 21 in the AFL TOTC.

Whether umpires are in the best position to award votes is a moot point; it's the tradition which makes the award. Logically, the MVP should have at least equal prestige, but it simply doesn't.

We've already lost Saturday afternoon footy, home grounds, traditional jumpers and even a club or two, amongst other things. Some issues need addressing, but this isn't one of them.

Yes it is. You know why? Because i reckon more than 70% of respected AFL officials, players, former players, supporters and media personnel agree that it is a midfielders award. It is the most prestigous award in the game yet they dont even award it to the best player every year. They award it to the best midfielder.

Mate umpires umpiring on the day should not be allowed to give votes. Simple.

Tradition? Ha! Tradition = giving to the best midfielder. Its got nothing to do with tradition. Thats an extremely conservative and backward approach. How many votes do you think young J.Riewoldt will get this year? If he kicks more than 80 goals he should finish top four, but he wont, which is crazy.

 

[demondavey]

From the past decade Riewoldt, Franklin and Tredrea are the only non midfielders worthy of the Brownlow imo. I think Tredrea won most of the other media awards in 04 but in 08 and last year when I thought Franklin and Riewoldt were the best players, Ablett cleaned up everything. So most awards lean towards midfielders anyway and rightly so most of the time.

So your saying Scarlett, Fletcher or any premier defender is not worthy? Thats ridiculous. You are displaying a mentality that favours mids. Clearly biased. Rightly so? Give me a break? How can you give a brownlow to Cooney, Woewodin, Akermanis and then have Carey, Ablett Snr, Riewoldt, pavlich or Tredrea not win one? Ha! What a joke....

 

[Fred]

It's been the Umpires award for 86 years. Leave it alone.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Yes it is. You know why? Because i reckon more than 70% of respected AFL officials, players, former players, supporters and media personnel agree that it is a midfielders award. It is the most prestigous award in the game yet they dont even award it to the best player every year. They award it to the best midfielder.

Mate umpires umpiring on the day should not be allowed to give votes. Simple.

Tradition? Ha! Tradition = giving to the best midfielder. Its got nothing to do with tradition. Thats an extremely conservative and backward approach. How many votes do you think young J.Riewoldt will get this year? If he kicks more than 80 goals he should finish top four.

But who's to say whether Riewoldt's six goals were "better" than Cotchin hitting him on the tit five times, or Moore keeping Franklin to one goal? You're just creating one controversy in place of another. It ain't broke; it works.

 

[demondavey]

It's been the Umpires award for 86 years. Leave it alone.

So that is your justification for keeping it that way? That change is not applicable in this sense because it might ruin the 'tradition' of the AFL? So umpires will continue to give votes, and probably give them to midfielders? If i had to predict the next ten winners under the current system i would say that 9/10 would be midfielders. Forget the forward that kicks 100+ goals and is CLEARLY the best player in 08 - getting his team to a GF, we will give it a midfielder who gets 30+ touches a week, prob not even knowing how many of those were cheap one - two handballs. Pathetic......

 

[AG]

So your saying Scarlett, Fletcher or any premier defender is not worthy? Thats ridiculous.

Most of the time. A defender is very rarely deserving of being the best player in the comp. Lake might go close this year though.

You are displaying a mentality that favours mids. Clearly biased. Rightly so? Give me a break? How can you give a brownlow to Cooney, Woewodin, Akermanis and then have Carey, Ablett Snr, Riewoldt, pavlich or Tredrea not win one? Ha! What a joke....

You could make a complaint like this about plenty of awards every year. I don't see how it is unique to the Brownlow. Franklin and Riewoldt should be the past two MVP's, so it's a problem for more than just the Brownlow.

I take back the rightly so part for midfielders, I normally lean towards forwards, so I agree that more should be on the winners list. Same goes for MVP's and other media awards as well.

 

[bzparkes]

Forget the forward that kicks 100+ goals

And was possibly an absolute arsehat to the umpires and other players. I think people forget the '& fairest' part of the Brownlow and a lot of forwards and backmen do like to whinge, moan and niggle.