centre square infringement

[Snowy]

The funny thing about it is that is hows how ridiculous this rule is when commonsense does not prevail. If you watch the replay Davis is clearly pushed in, struggles for balance and hops straight out. If the ump saw this he should have seen King's action, but Davis's momentary incursion had no impact on the play, or potential play whatsoever.

[dawson]

Originally posted by sharp9
Thereis no rule in footy against cheating or being offensive (except toward umpires). In soccer there is a rule called "ungentlemanly conduct," which is why, when they started enforcing yellow cards against divers, they didn't have to have a rule change.

At this stage the AFL officially recognises cheating as a skill of the game. Demetriou said so last week in reference to Voss. At the moment the umpire is not even allowed to NOT award a free kick if it is milked......(obviously he can ignore blatant staging).....so it is a very long way away at this stage to actually award free kicks AGAINST players for staging or cheating.

At the moment, for example, a player is allowed to shepherd another player into the umpire and then appeal for a free for umpire contact.

I would love to see this area cleaned up and penalties for staging, cheating and milking applied as follows

MILKING (that is to say over-emphasising illegal contact, or playing the game in a manner designed to draw an infringement, the way Leon Davis goes to a contest intent on not getting the ball but rather looking to get touched by an opponent without having the ball...or the way Chapman deliberately doesn't stand up so that you can't tackle him legally. This also applies to players who get a small tug on the jumper and then stop running toward the ball, instead throwing their arms up appealing for a free) - no free paid...even where they were infringed upon...such as the small jumper tug.

STAGING - Free kick

CHEATING - Free kick plus 50 metres...Reportable

It will be the umpire discretion as to whether an action amounts to cheating (pushing players into the square, pushing players into the umpire, throwing hands to face when pushed in the chest) or merely staging....going to ground unnecessarily after legal clash and claiming a free.


As I read it Voss' action comes under staging....he threw himself to the ground of his own volition. Free kick to the Swans. Milking is more where a player gets a bump and does not attempt to keep his feet (he could if he wanted to).

BTW there was a fantastic umpiring decision in the Essendon match when a boundary umpire got a the field umpire to over rule the goal umpire AFTER the goal umpire had awarded the goal! Score one for common sense...the ball had clearly touched the post, but somehow the goal umpire missed it.

Great post Sharp9

[sharp9]

Originally posted by dawson
Great post Sharp9

Thanks, Dawson.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by sharp9
Thanks, Dawson.

With all due respect, you people are nuts. The umpires can't rule correctly on the rules they have already, without making up more and more of them for the men in white/yellow/orange to get wrong. Imagine the outcry if Barry Hall got one in the back, stumbled, fell and was pinged for "milking" or "staging". It would run to pages on here. You'd need more umpires on the field too, which would mean umpires of lesser quality. Or do you want a video ump. If anyone is even half flirting with that idea watch a game of rugby league - it is dreadful, and so is the video refereeing.

Nick Davis, and any other AFL player with more than 2 games experience should have the presence of mind not to let themselves get pushed into the centre square. After all the things that have been said this year about umpiring I do not know why anyone is looking to them for salvation.

That said, I agree that cheating sucks, and that milking free kicks is very ordinary and displays a complete lack of sportsmanship. I just don't think over-umpiring is the answer. Smarter play is part of it though.

I await a hammering.

[Damien]

Originally posted by sharp9

As I read it Voss' action comes under staging....he threw himself to the ground of his own volition. Free kick to the Swans. Milking is more where a player gets a bump and does not attempt to keep his feet (he could if he wanted to).

How on earth would it be possible to judge that?

The umpire clearly believed the free kick against the swans was there? What can we do, have the umpire go to a vid ref for every decision?

The umpire rightly or wrongly judges on what he sees.

Your suggestion only works if the umpire believes the player has staged, the Voss scenario doesn't work because the umpire didn't believe he had staged, he believed he was pushed in the back.

[dawson]

To their credit, Kirk was paid and goalled for a similar offence..

[Phil Tarbox]

Re: centre square infringement

Originally posted by jenky28
Mike Sheahan told him that David King pushed Nick Davis into the centre square just as the umpire was about to bounce the ball thus we were pinged for a centre square infringement, they got the free kick and the rest is history.

No surprises here from David King. I remember him doing this to us at the SCG.

Shot for goal outside 50 - Swans player running behind him as he was lining up (he had been stationary for some moments). King deliberatley takes a step backwards with his intention to make the Swans player bump into him. Swans player nudges him slightly, 50m penalty paid, Goal to King.

I have seen players do this recently, and it has not been paid. The umpires are waking up to some of these tricks, but Sydney is too often the side that draws their attention to these types of milking, staging, cheating (whatever you want to call it).

Unfortunatley professional sportsmen would rather win at all cost, rather than win playing their best and fairest.

Best and Fairest is why Wayne Carey could never win a Brownlow medal.

Phil

[j s]

This is the text of an official letter sent to all umpires (at all levels) from Jeff Gieschen

After the incident in Sydney Vs Kangaroos match last Saturday evening where a player claimed he had been pushed into the centre square before a centre bounce resulting in a free kick awarded against him, we have received several queries as to what action should take place in this situation.

If a field umpire observes a player push, bump or force an opponent into the centre square prior to a centre square bounce down to commence or recommence play in an attempt to create a centre square infringement, the field umpire has the power to pay a free kick against the player who initiates the contact.

Players who push, bump or force an opponent into the centre square prior to a bounce run a risk of being penalised.

The boundary umpire?s role is to penalise players who enter the centre square before the ball has been bounced.

The boundary umpire is not able to penalise players who push, bump or force players into the centre square, that responsibility belongs to the field umpire.

Note the last paragraph - it DOES NOT MATTTER if the boundary ump sees the push - all he can do is award the free against the player in the square.

This justifies my demand for an immediate rule that allows a player unintentionally (his intent anyway) entering the square to immediately retreat without penalty.