Umpire farce - Getting worse by the minute!

[Harry]

Some of the umpires are just poor at what they do - it's as simple as that.
Number 12 made so many mistakes and not for the first time. Most of them are the same.
The umps should be full time professionals where the pay itself attracts the very best.

 

[tigerman]

The umpires refusal to stop play when Prestia was KO'd is further proof of their bias against Richmond.

 

[Redford]

The umpires refusal to stop play when Prestia was KO'd is further proof of their bias against Richmond.

Even Graham was pointing out to the umpires the situation with Prestia but they still refused to apply “common sense” and stop play.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, and you still don’t subscribe to the anti Richmond outlook that the umpires and AFL have, the AFL then has the temerity to endorse the umpires non-action stating that the play was not in the vicinity of the stricken Prestia - despite the ball being all around him and at one stage going over the head of Prestia and the doctors.

Outright cheating liars.

 

[MD Jazz]

Even Graham was pointing out to the umpires the situation with Prestia but they still refused to apply “common sense” and stop play.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, and you still don’t subscribe to the anti Richmond outlook that the umpires and AFL have, the AFL then has the temerity to endorse the umpires non-action stating that the play was not in the vicinity of the stricken Prestia - despite the ball being all around him and at one stage going over the head of Prestia and the doctors.

Outright cheating liars.

It's almost like they cannot admit to making mistakes. I reckon they'd get more respect from the fans if they just admitted when they *smile* up.

95% of commentators/players/fans think they should have stopped the play. To actually come out and tick it off and then double down and state there was no stop in play to allow them to pause the game is ludicrous. It diminishes what little integrity they have.

 

[tigertim]

It's almost like they cannot admit to making mistakes.

Almost?

 

[Dont Argue]

It's almost like they cannot admit to making mistakes. I reckon they'd get more respect from the fans if they just admitted when they *smile* up.

95% of commentators/players/fans think they should have stopped the play. To actually come out and tick it off and then double down and state there was no stop in play to allow them to pause the game is ludicrous. It diminishes what little integrity they have.

As someone else said, they’ve lost our trust. And mistrust eventually leads to hatred.
AFL hurtling towards oblivion

 

[tigerman]

Even Graham was pointing out to the umpires the situation with Prestia but they still refused to apply “common sense” and stop play.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, and you still don’t subscribe to the anti Richmond outlook that the umpires and AFL have, the AFL then has the temerity to endorse the umpires non-action stating that the play was not in the vicinity of the stricken Prestia - despite the ball being all around him and at one stage going over the head of Prestia and the doctors.

Outright cheating liars.

The AFL saying that the umpires decision to let play continue was the correct decision, because the ball cleared the area was so predicable. Because according to the AFL, umpires never make mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes, how hard is it for the AFL to say that it was an error, and that umpires in the heat of the moment got it wrong.
Blind Freddy could see that the ball was twice kicked over Prestia and the trainers head.

It is more evidence that the AFL treat football fans with contempt.

 

[Jake]

The AFL saying that the umpires decision to let play continue was the correct decision, because the ball cleared the area was so predicable. Because according to the AFL, umpires never make mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes, how hard is it for the AFL to say that it was an error, and that umpires in the heat of the moment got it wrong.
Blind Freddy could see that the ball was twice kicked over Prestia and the trainers head.

It is more evidence that the AFL treat football fans with contempt.

I thing everybody watching it was like "I hope this is a good kick and does do more damage". It wasn't the finest look for the AFL and they know it.

 

[daniel30]

Those 3 clowns should be dropped for there lack of accountability and common sense who said the ball wasn't in the area flew past him twice this what happens when you have dictatorship and a body who cannot admit fault.

 

[rocsta75]

I think you are wrong there. I think there was a free kick paid. I think it went to Sydney

Correct

 

[Harry]

Those 3 clowns should be dropped for there lack of accountability and common sense who said the ball wasn't in the area flew past him twice this what happens when you have dictatorship and a body who cannot admit fault.

Just shows todays umps are struggling and have no control of the game.
An overhaul of the umps is needed and we need full time professional umps

 

[Stackey]

Those 3 clowns should be dropped for there lack of accountability and common sense who said the ball wasn't in the area flew past him twice this what happens when you have dictatorship and a body who cannot admit fault.

Canna see the footy in play?!?...no wonder they canna see the free kicks for us...instead...

 

[DavidSSS]

The AFL saying that the umpires decision to let play continue was the correct decision, because the ball cleared the area was so predicable. Because according to the AFL, umpires never make mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes, how hard is it for the AFL to say that it was an error, and that umpires in the heat of the moment got it wrong.
Blind Freddy could see that the ball was twice kicked over Prestia and the trainers head.

It is more evidence that the AFL treat football fans with contempt.

This.

If they admitted there were mistakes there would be a lot more respect for umpires. It isn't an easy game to adjudicate but there are some absolute howlers every week in all games which they should own up to. I'm sure behind closed doors they do talk about this, but the complete unwillingness to concede that errors are ever made just makes it all worse.

Umpires should be full time and there should be oversight from outside AFL House.

DS

 

[TT33]

It's almost like they cannot admit to making mistakes. I reckon they'd get more respect from the fans if they just admitted when they *smile* up.

95% of commentators/players/fans think they should have stopped the play. To actually come out and tick it off and then double down and state there was no stop in play to allow them to pause the game is ludicrous. It diminishes what little integrity they have.

Just shows todays umps are struggling and have no control of the game.
An overhaul of the umps is needed and we need full time professional umps

And who is tn control of the umpires department, none other than the wonderful Brad Scott. Don't expect any change in philosophy.

 

[Brodders17]

Even Graham was pointing out to the umpires the situation with Prestia but they still refused to apply “common sense” and stop play.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, and you still don’t subscribe to the anti Richmond outlook that the umpires and AFL have, the AFL then has the temerity to endorse the umpires non-action stating that the play was not in the vicinity of the stricken Prestia - despite the ball being all around him and at one stage going over the head of Prestia and the doctors.

Outright cheating liars.

Graham should have kicked it straight over Prestia's head to a team mate.

in a game where the ball can move the length of the field in about 5 secs, without play stopping for a mark or free, how can they say he wasn't "in play"?

 

[Stackey]

What an absolute debacle...all this AFL screwing of the RFC is rebounding and tarnishing their whole administration...the harder they go the worse they appear.

 

[Redford]

Umpires should be full time and there should be oversight from outside AFL House.

DS

Very good suggestion. There should be an independent body that can review escalated umpiring grievances beyond the Hocking’s and Scott’s of this world who just always take the “No. We are right” line all the time. If you think there’s a persistently wrong application going on week after week, season after season, and the AFL just keeps fobbing you off, there should be an arbitrator.

Something like that could have been used in the insane application of the dissent rule in the first 8 weeks. Could have sorted that out MUCH earlier using an arbitrator rather than waiting for the pathetic AFL to covertly relent without telling anyone.

 

[Little Ziggyadee]

Graham should have kicked it straight over Prestia's head to a team mate.

in a game where the ball can move the length of the field in about 5 secs, without play stopping for a mark or free, how can they say he wasn't "in play"?

What a *smile* kick by Graham

 

[Sintiger]

Very good suggestion. There should be an independent body that can review escalated umpiring grievances beyond the Hocking’s and Scott’s of this world who just always take the “No. We are right” line all the time. If you think there’s a persistently wrong application going on week after week, season after season, and the AFL just keeps fobbing you off, there should be an arbitrator.

Something like that could have been used in the insane application of the dissent rule in the first 8 weeks. Could have sorted that out MUCH earlier using an arbitrator rather than waiting for the pathetic AFL to covertly relent without telling anyone.

I agree with this but often the umpires are right based on the rules they are given to adjudicate. The suggestion won't help that part of the problem.
My concern is that the group who decide on these often inane interpretations and rule changes is too small and too insular. Up to a few years ago we used to test rule changes and the like in pre season games but that seems to have gone. I liked the system where we would do that, debate them for a year and either implement or not based on that. These days SHocking and now BScott seem to be able to do things way too easily

 

[23.21.159]

Free kick differential stats out today: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/27/the-2022-free-kick-ladder-after-round-15/

Not only is this somewhat surprising (I actually thought we were getting a bit of a better run from the umps in some games this year), but it seems to be getting worse year on year.
These numbers represent a staggering statistical outlier that defies logical analysis.
Not only is our differential the worst - we have the least free kicks for, AND the most against, our differential is 2.5 times worse than the second worst AND it is worse than the next three worst combined. Extraordinary.

Some potential explanations:
1. There is indeed a concerted campaign against us by the AFL. While we all like to champion this one, any serious analysis has to refute it outright - too many people would have to know, it would eventually come out, and there would be hell to pay.
2. Umpires are responding negatively to individual players.
3. We are just not very good (obviously not the case).
4. As a team strategy, we deliberately "push the envelope" further than most teams. This would reflect how Hardwick played the game himself. And the way Pickett tackles, I get the impression his attitude is "I'm going to get done for this anyway, I might as well make him earn it".

I suspect it's mostly 4 with a smattering of 2.