Umpire farce - Getting worse by the minute!

[tommystigers]

I think a few missed the satire in my earlier post.

 

[King Kong]

Been shafted by the umps for years but the club just takes it each week. Should have been challenged publicly years ago and it would have ended it there and then

 

[artball]

Apparently 15-1 free kicks after we hit the front.

that's the stat to take to the AFL and the UA ...

 

[graystar1]

We received 13 frees and of those 2 were for out on the full.
Therefore we only got 11 frees for the whole game in actual play time.
Compare that to the 33 frees to the Crows.
This has got past a joke and the club surely has to seek clarification from the Umpires Board or the AFL.
Been going on for far too long, year after year

 

[Tenacious]

He called play on when Cotchin kicked to nakas too short no 15.
But 5 seconds later the Adelaide player chipped a 10m pass that was paid.
The umpiring was badd, but we lost because Parker is a dud, I'm over watching George play like a first gamer.
And our stars are finished

Bloody hell - will you ever stop criticising Castagna?

 

[tigertim]

Apparently 15-1 free kicks after we hit the front.

You knew we were in trouble after Lynch received that very soft free early. The umpires rep got into their ear piece “not THAT Tom Lynch you idiot! Tom Lynch left Adelaide for North”

 

[Dont Argue]

I think a few missed the satire in my earlier post.

Sorry.
Wasn’t in the mood for that type of humour

 

[RoarEmotion]

Few teams are going to win against that level of bias. I turned it off. Regularly different interpretations of same type of incident.

 

[Dont Argue]

We got pinged for holding the ball at least 3 times yesterday for picking the ball up and leading into a tackling player with our head down. How many times has that actually ever been payed?
Against us, it’s always head high tackle.
At the very least it’s a ball up. With us it’s holding the ball!!
You can talk about ageing lists and antiquated game plans all you like but with the ease of scoring due to the stand rule, free kicks are now more valuable than ever.
And we had 20 less

 

[shad]

There is one controllable factor that I view as a dilemma.

Other clubs train their players to exploit the boundaries of interpretations of the rules. E.g. they learn exactly what cue the umpire is looking for and train to exploit that (for and against)

We don't do that. My supporting evidence is to look at a number of our players ducking to win free kicks in 2016 who then cut it out of their game in 2017.

So, if that's the case...

One approach could be to train to exploit the rules as well. We could choose not to be bold, not to create the play, and learn how to twist into oncoming traffic in such a way to guarantee a free kick, etc.

The dilemma is this goes against the spirit of the game. And I think we've built up an incredible culture within the club that's based on good character, so I don't want us training to win more free kicks - ever.

Stand our ground on that one.
It's the right thing to do.

But perhaps we can get better at addressing the free kicks against part of the problem. One way to do that would be to get better at teaching the players the technical boundaries of the rules and how opposition players will try to exploit them.

If that's not enough, and if there's too many unavoidable situations in a game created by opposition players going against the spirit of the game but within the technicality of the rules - if that's true, then our only hope is to change the way the rules are written and/or interpreted.

That's hard, and probably only done through media presssure... which was Dimma's approach in tonight's press conference, funny enough.

Great post. IMO there are only two reasonable explanations for the recent free kick differential. This one and bias/corruption. I think and hope that your explanation is correct.

I guess it is part of the whole 'Richmond Man' paradigm and I whole-heartedly endorse it.

 

[tigerlandishome]

I'm not saying the umpires are cheats, but it did feel a little 'cheaty'.

 

[Larrikin]

Adelaide were the better side - no problem with that. But statistically it is almost become an aberration. By all accounts we are very low on the ladder for some years when it comes to frees for and against. Any team can lose the free kick count and the umpires, on the day, may have been outstanding and got every call 100%. But geez…..

Round 1 - Carlton 28 free kicks to Richmond 20. Carlton touched us up in the last quarter and fully deserved their win. 40% more frees to the Blues.
Round 2 - GWS 26 free kicks to Richmond 18. We were in control all game and had a solid win. 44% more frees to GWS.
Round 3 - St Kilda 27 free kicks to Richmond 19. A repeat flogging in the last quarters to the Carlton game and Saints playing well. 42% more frees to the Saints.
Round 4 - Footscray 25 free kicks to Richmond 15. A game we won well. 66% more free kicks to Footscray.
Today - Adelaide 33 free kicks to Richmond 13 free kicks. Adelaide too good over 4 quarters. Adelaide 153% more free kicks than us.

In the last 2 weeks we have received 28 frees and been penalised 58 times. I don’t believe we are a dirty side for one minute.

Just taking those numbers into account does not necessarily they are unfair. But to my eye, it’s the bloody frees NOT paid in similar circumstances to both sides that is doing my head in! And I certainly respect it can be a difficult game to umpire.

As bad and lopsided as this is, this doesn't even take into account the 50m penalty count. 50m penalties do not count in the free kick count.

Is there a website that records the 50m penalties given each game because I can't seem to find one. I'd also like to see a heat map of where all frees and 50m are paid too.

I know that in the Carlton game for example, not only they won 8 more free kicks, but won the 50m penalties 8-0 as well!

 

[shad]

I'm not saying the umpires are cheats, but it did feel a little 'cheaty'.

I've had four sons play local country footy with volunteer club umpires (one from each side). Some are competent, some are hopeless and some are cheats. If you saw a performance like yesterday's at a local game you would definitely put it in the 'cheat' catorgary.

We are very naive about corruption in Australia. In most countries it is taken for granted that it will come into play across all areas of society, including sport. In particular people seem to consider it impossible that the AFL is corrupting game results. We are talking about a business here that is worth 100's of millions where certain results will lead to highr 'profits'. Of course it's corrupt.

 

[Harry]

The problem is they hire blokes that can run a half marathon, can read a law book but have absolutely no feel for the game. Suspect most of them never followed footy growing up. Give me a fat dumb bloke who understands the game over these turkeys any day.

 

[Sintiger]

Read on Twitter that when we hit the front in the 3rd quarter the free kick count was 18-12
Finished 33-13
That’s just staggering

 

[Willo]

I'm not saying the umpires are cheats, but it did feel a little 'cheaty'.

You won’t, it I will
*smile* mob of *smile* cheating *smile* prick bastards.
*smile* corrupt cheating group of *smile* steve *smile* hocking’s

 

[graystar1]

Bloody hell - will you ever stop criticising Castagna?

Fair enough comment tenacious.
Have to say though that footy is a team sport.
eg, in cricket every one of the eleven has a role to play, be it bowler batsman, wicket keeper, slips or mid off or whatever.
I, for one, don't know what Castagnas role is in our team, and maybe that is frustrating some on here.
If we could be told what he is supposed to be , that would help.
Don't forget he did kick 2 goals yesterday.

 

[Little Ziggyadee]

We got pinged for holding the ball at least 3 times yesterday for picking the ball up and leading into a tackling player with our head down. How many times has that actually ever been payed?
Against us, it’s always head high tackle.
At the very least it’s a ball up. With us it’s holding the ball!!
You can talk about ageing lists and antiquated game plans all you like but with the ease of scoring due to the stand rule, free kicks are now more valuable than ever.
And we had 20 less

I haven't seen it paid against. Always a free kick or at worse a ball up.
Prestia picked the ball up got tackled 1 seeing later and got pinged.
It sapped us. The constant no decisions killed us.
That Turkey midfielder that runs around like a headless chook threw the ball out 3 times before half time.

 

[Willo]

Bloody hell - will you ever stop criticising Castagna?

Zips has gone from championing the headless chook to now wanting him on the rotisserie

 

[Legends of 2017]

Has Albanese said that the National anti corruption commission he will introduce, cover the afl and umpires?
He has my vote if it does