Pretty much all year it's looked like bias. Against RFC by umpires.
I don't care why. I'm just taking about optics.
From POV it looks corporate. But maybe I'm too suspicious.
Signpost - if Trent Cotchin gets a foreign eyelash above his shoulder he gets a free. Not because of rules or other silly ideas. Because he is AFL product and admired by the media.
Until last week Trent Cotchin has not been refereed into games the way he was a couple of years ago. Because he's now clumsy? Because he was no longer product.
His form is good now. And he was doted on by umpires in the Sydney game.
But it felt more corporate than that. Has there been a shift in umpire bias since the Murdoch piece?
I don't care why. I'm just taking about optics.
From POV it looks corporate. But maybe I'm too suspicious.
Signpost - if Trent Cotchin gets a foreign eyelash above his shoulder he gets a free. Not because of rules or other silly ideas. Because he is AFL product and admired by the media.
Until last week Trent Cotchin has not been refereed into games the way he was a couple of years ago. Because he's now clumsy? Because he was no longer product.
His form is good now. And he was doted on by umpires in the Sydney game.
But it felt more corporate than that. Has there been a shift in umpire bias since the Murdoch piece?