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Umpire Abuse
- Thread starter graystar1
- Start date
AFL urged to invest in umpires as participation numbers dwindle at community level
Posted 43m agoAn Australian rules football umpiring shortage is in danger of continuing because participation is "not keeping up with the growth of the game", according to a confidential AFL review obtained by ABC Sport.
Key points:
- An AFL review identified umpire numbers at the community level are dropping off
- The workload facing umpires has increased in recent seasons
- The review found women and girls represent only 11 per cent of umpire numbers
The strategy document from November 2021 reported the major reasons umpires were leaving the game included:
- Work and study commitments (18 per cent)
- Health/injury/age related (14 per cent)
- Inadequate support/pay (13 per cent)
- Lack of enjoyment (10 per cent)
AFL captains agreed the change was necessary.
"I think most clubs would've received it pretty well and understands how important they are to our game," Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli said.
St Kilda skipper Jack Steele said umpires were vital to the game.
"The umpires are just as important as players, so we've got to respect that," he said.
Community umpires are grateful for the shift in attitude, while understanding there are bigger problems looming for the sport.
Under the headline "The shortage of umpires is now at crisis point", the AFL's review found COVID-19 devastated umpire recruitment.
"COVID has negatively impacted umpiring two-fold," the review report read.
"2020 saw the highest number of non-returning umpires on record [and] the lowest intake of new umpires in six years.
One in five umpires routinely carry the whistle more than one match per weekend. One in 10 oversee two or more matches.
"Some umpires are officiating up to seven matches per weekend," the report read.
"Excessive matches lead to an increased numbers of umpires leaving due to decreased enjoyment, injury, or burnout.
"A lack of qualified umpires increases volunteer load, impacts player safety, impacts enjoyment of the game."
The report's author Damian Anderson quit his position as community umpiring development manager last year.
Mr Anderson said the AFL needed to focus on recruitment if retention rates were "unchangeable".
"Acquisition should be the focus. A supercharged umpire acquisition strategy is required," he wrote in the report.
AFL umpire John Howorth coaches community-level whistle blowers in Melbourne's outer east.
Mr Howorth said he saw the shortage coming.
"Since COVID the numbers have reduced about 8 per cent," he said.
"But the level of football, particularly the [expansion] of women's football and the amount of junior grades, have gone up.
"The increase in football games and the amount of services umpires can provide has gone up but the number of umpires is slightly declining over the last two years."
Mr Howorth said some umpires controlled up to 90 match per season, a leading cause of burnout.
"I think the best thing we can do is provide a really inviting environment, particularly at training and match day," he said.
"It gives them confidence to go into their workplaces and their schools because of their experiences they've had as umpires."
Umpiring begins at grassroots level
Junior football clubs are seen as the best source of new umpires.The AFL's review found up to 94 per cent of umpires play or have played junior club football.
"Engaging junior clubs to assist in the recruitment of new umpires from their playing cohort goes direct to this source," the report read.
Mr Howorth said the AFL needed to promote the benefits of umpiring.
"Fitness is obviously one of them," he said.
Umpiring is seen by many young people as a good first job.
Teenagers can earn between $50 and $100 a match as field, boundary, or goal umpires.
"To increase new umpire conversion rates the AFL is required to invest in umpire participation in a similar way it does with other participation spaces (e.g. Auskick)," the report read.
Not enough females in umpiring
The AFL review found girls and women were "severely under-represented within umpiring"."To close the gap between the number of registered umpires and the number of required umpires, a greater number of female umpires must be engaged," the report read.
Girls and women represent only 11 per cent of umpires and have a much higher "non-return" rate than boys and men.
"A research project funded by the AFL Research Board in partnership with The University of Sydney investigated the experiences of females in umpiring," the report read.
"Findings indicate that there are systemic, institutional issues with supporting women and girls in umpiring, regardless of region or level, which negatively impact the experiences and numbers of females in umpiring.
"Report recommendations are required to be actioned to increase the number of females involved in umpiring and help address the overall umpire shortfall."
AFL urged to invest in umpires as participation numbers dwindle at community level
A confidential AFL review obtained by ABC Sport finds Australian football's umpiring shortage is in danger of continuing because participation is "not keeping up with the growth of the game".
www.abc.net.au
Someone else is seeing the bigger picture.. The AFL has to stop with the smokescreens & stump up the cash.
Individuals in a team, given an instruction by management all follow it differently depending on their personality. Referees or umpires have the same human problem. AFL umpiring would be the worst to officiate. Players are up with rule changes I'm sure there are meetings with umpire manager before the season to clarify questions from clubs. But the fans are out of the loop. Local league around here in NSW has 2 field umpires. No boundary and each club provides a goal umpire. Not sure what happens in Victoria. When my kid was playing basketball I got wrangled into refing. Only did for a year or two. But you do learn the rules. As far as abuse goes, I did yell at umps a bit..and one time got ejected by a bball ref who had a shocker. I remember every game was try and work out how they were going to ref it..
If No one wants to umpire, go back to the 70s. 1 field umpire.
The additional problem with Richmond is the consistent weight of frees against. The fact some fans try to keep tally of individual umpires free kicks against us. Deboy for example. Or other umps that hail from interstate. And complaining about bias. Which doesn't bother me, I'm not that bothered. When I watch Richmond play my focus is on us. Not the umpires not the opposition.
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When I umpired in th e early 80's in Melbourne it was all one umpire per game. You had to be really fit. I was a good runner-but only young-and I still remember the first training session. The coach just said "warm up, 10 laps" and I was like "smile" this is going to be a serios session if that's the warm up. It was brutal. Basically over two hours of different kinds of running. You did get paid to train though which was nice at that age. Not many lower level umps have that kind of fitness these days I reckon.
Noticed dissent shown after the weightman free (dodgy) at the end of the first - no 50. Zero tolerance?
Is this going to be one of those rules where the interpretation changes week to week and umpire to umpire ?
Is this going to be one of those rules where the interpretation changes week to week and umpire to umpire ?
This . . . is the critical question.
Maintain it or don't bother. The minute they back off inconsistency is a given.
DS
Yep, you cannot say zero tolerance and then have tolerance. And the tolerance level depends on what? Language? Body Language? The umpire?
There was no issue and now they've created one. I'm sure they will be tightening up on it starting tonight.
AFL 2022: Melbourne v Western Bulldogs | Cody Weightman goal | Siren controversy | Video
Western Bulldogs livewire Cody Weightman was awarded a free kick and slotted the ensuing set shot after the quarter-time siren, but the siren may have sounded before the infringement occurred.
Watch, first Gawn takes his hands to his head and Smith puts his head down. Gawn quickly realises it could be 50 and stops and heads to Smith to ensure he doesn't say anything. To me it is nothing but didn't their body language express dissent with the decision? Or is it more they have to express disrespect to the umpire?
I'm glad it wasn't paid but will every umpire interpret it the same?
I hope common sense prevails.
The commentators picked up that you can query the umpire you just have to do it nicely. Like all new rules adjustments the interpretation and imposing of it will relax and by round 5 or so mainly the full blown tanties will get penalised (and the odd tiggy touchwood to keep us on our toes)
Hopefully those sort of initial reactions aren't penalised.Even I would have struggled to defend 50 there. They looked more tired than angry.
What were your thoughts on the actual decision?
We should get the minority report folks involved. Can just give 50s against Richmond (and Toby Greene) before the Siren blows at the start of each quarter
They were mostly there TBR but seriously cerra drops/flops more than that PA kid everyone bagged out. Lots of soft ones
At least, and it needs to get a LOT better discipline wise no doubt. But the game is *smile* when it’s 50 mtrs and almost a certain goal for a foot moving 3 inches. God I hate the *smile* stand rule !
And how does a rule moving a foot 3 inches on the mark help this game regardless ?
