Umpiring Farce

[Coastal Boy]

What's this joke I hear that the SFL is not providing central umpires for most of the Premier Division Reserve grade games this year????

I find this completely unprofessional, unacceptable and laughable.

Apparently each club must provide an "umpire" who will officiate in that clubs games. Is this for real? The result is that the players give a gob full to the "umpire from the other club' for being biased, get nasty with the "umpire from his club" for being too neutral, and no one will really be able to handle the boys when things get heated.

Is this game going forward or what??? I realise umpiring numbers a down but this solution is the dumbest of the lot. The U/18s are still getting the full compliment of umpires, and I hear all first grade games must have 3 umpires to comply with AFL regulations for umpires wishing to advance to the AFL ranks.

There has to be a better solution. More games on Sunday, one umpire being assigned per game, something...

Maybe the league would prefer to scrap the 2s all together. They reduced the comp from 22 games per team to 16 to save money...why not implode a little further.

[tara]

Given they keep changing names are you refering to a world class Top division or its poorer cousin which I play in.

If its the top div then we really are in trouble otherwise whats new.

Last year we would get 3 senior umpires to the senior games 2 adult age (old men) to the last of the junior games and nothing to the ressies games. Then you'd play against the Unis and you could be forgiven for thinking the games were televised there were so many jaffa's.

Thankfully most blokes tried to remain inpartial in particular Chris from Penrith (great job) although you do get blatant cheats in Holroyd Parra. At least some of the boys from Parra had the decency to appologise.

The AFL should hang its head in shame.

[Coastal Boy]

Yes, tara. It is the world class Premier league AKA SFL.

[humphrey bear]

I wonder what method the NSW AFL use to count the number of umpires they have registered.

Anyone who has ever turned up to a ground wearing a white shirt maybe?

[Anonymous]

I think what you will find is that the NSW AFL is not prepared to commit to supplying 'X' amount of umpires to each premier league reserves game.

It is not going to be a case of Bob from the canteen drinking a can whilst umpiring with his cousin Cliff.....

Umpires will be assigned to each game as they are available.......given the decreased number of people willing to wear shocking coloured clothes and get abused every weekend, the powers that be aren't prepared to ensure 3 umpires for each grade because they don't want to make any more claims that they can't keep.

Perhaps they could make umpiring more attractive to people....offer more money per game, fund umpiring courses, tickets to AFL games...something to get more people involved.

[tara]

Well I like a bit of biff occasionaly and given my beloved SFA wont see any umpires this year(regardless of grade) given the state of things we are likly to see a return to the glory days of the 50's 60's and 70's.

Hand your head in shame Demitrispew you Cypriot wanker. For all the bull@@@@ about how much you are investing in NSW for the media's benefit the rest of us know the truth. You are failing miserably in growing the game up here in anything other than Auskick.

[tara]

Originally posted by Anonymous
I think what you will find is that the NSW AFL is not prepared to commit to supplying 'X' amount of umpires to each premier league reserves game.

It is not going to be a case of Bob from the canteen drinking a can whilst umpiring with his cousin Cliff.....

Are you from the AFL because that statement is B u l l s h i t?

My thinly veiled references implying Parramatta are cheats is precisely becuase of that type of an example. We played them last year when a former Parra player involved with their club whose son happened to be playing umpired. If we got within a metre of them we were penalised for anything you could imaging and on the other scale anything short of taking to someone with a sawn off had a blind eye turned. The next time we play we will square up with them on the old fashioned scale, thats if they still have a club for the 2006 season (the vultures are circling after all).

[Anonymous]

Am i from the NSW AFL - certainly not....just passing on some info.....I cannot comment on the umpiring standard of the 'beloved SFA' but can't imagine it would be very high or professional. Its unforunate cause the players are the heart and soul of the game in NSW and supporting it at this level will payoff 10 fold for them......

Apparently the children are our future, so Auskick will always rule..

[tara]

Originally posted by Anonymous
Am i from the NSW AFL - certainly not....just passing on some info.....I cannot comment on the umpiring standard of the 'beloved SFA' but can't imagine it would be very high or professional. Its unforunate cause the players are the heart and soul of the game in NSW and supporting it at this level will payoff 10 fold for them......

Apparently the children are our future, so Auskick will always rule..

I was only tounge in cheek with that question and yes your right about players being the heart and soul of the game up here.

Its a shame that many of these kids will revert to the other footy codes upon reaching adulthood because of the state of senior footy here. I cant understand the AFL cannot see that senior footy can have a huge bearing on future growth in NSW. Kids idolise their parents and want to be like them. If kids see their dad playing footy on weekends the will likely follow suit and thus develop a lifetime love of the game. If they watch footy with their dad but go with dad to watch him play league they will more likely end up with a stonger affiliation to league.

[adnar]

It's an absolute disgrace. This is the reason I had enough of participating in Second Division last year, because having a bloke from the club house with his brother Cliff is not far off the mark.

I don't blame the clubs because most can't afford to have umpires for every game (the clubs have to pay for it after all) if the AFL wants to invest in this state they need to provide funds for umpires at every level.

[tara]

Originally posted by adnar
It's an absolute disgrace. This is the reason I had enough of participating in Second Division last year, because having a bloke from the club house with his brother Cliff is not far off the mark.

I don't blame the clubs because most can't afford to have umpires for every game (the clubs have to pay for it after all) if the AFL wants to invest in this state they need to provide funds for umpires at every level.

Who did or do you play for Adnar?

At South West we had a former captain no longer actively involved with the club take on these duties and cop plenty of abuse for it. He always tried to remain inpartial and if anything would give the benefit to the opposition side. I gave it to him one day after he sent me of for fighting - he hadnt seen the incident that led to my eye swelled shut.

The best bloke as I have mentioned was Chris from Penrith. Absolutely fantastic job. My boys never game him any abuse becuase he was happy to explain decisions on the run. At least you knew his reasoning behind his decisions and could understand why he made them. If he was blindsided he said so. Its a shame that the blokes who are paid to do this thankless task take every question as a slight on the person and penalise you for it rather than what it is a person just wanting to understand why?

[Anonymous]

Couldn't agree more.

The AFL just got approximately $280 Billion for TV rights.....I think a lazy 20 - 30 thousand would assist the umpiring ranks sufficiently in order to set up for the future, something a little more than a half assed umpiring promo campaign on the nswafl website

[tara]

Originally posted by Anonymous
Couldn't agree more.

The AFL just got approximately $280 Billion for TV rights.....I think a lazy 20 - 30 thousand would assist the umpiring ranks sufficiently in order to set up for the future, something a little more than a half assed umpiring promo campaign on the nswafl website

Guys they only spent about 50-60k on the SFA last year so could you really see them increasing their expenditure by 50% just on umps alone?

[DLH]

Originally posted by tara
The best bloke as I have mentioned was Chris from Penrith. Absolutely fantastic job. My boys never game him any abuse becuase he was happy to explain decisions on the run. At least you knew his reasoning behind his decisions and could understand why he made them. If he was blindsided he said so. Its a shame that the blokes who are paid to do this thankless task take every question as a slight on the person and penalise you for it rather than what it is a person just wanting to understand why?

He's a good fella Chris, although we won't have the benefit of his assistance this year as he's coaching St.Clair in Div 2.

The duty of care issue is the big one. If blokes get ironed out behind the play in a game that gets out of control due to no officials being present, then someone has to be accountable.

How are you guys travelling for numbers by the way Tara? It seems Parra are struggling as well which a bit of a worry. I know the Sharks have lost a few of their better players too. Hopefully it doesn't end up like last year with the Uni's and Manly being a fair way in front of the other half of the competition.

[tara]

Originally posted by DLH
He's a good fella Chris, although we won't have the benefit of his assistance this year as he's coaching St.Clair in Div 2.

The duty of care issue is the big one. If blokes get ironed out behind the play in a game that gets out of control due to no officials being present, then someone has to be accountable.

How are you guys travelling for numbers by the way Tara? It seems Parra are struggling as well which a bit of a worry. I know the Sharks have lost a few of their better players too. Hopefully it doesn't end up like last year with the Uni's and Manly being a fair way in front of the other half of the competition.

We are travelling better than last year with on ave 25 - 30 to each sesson but its still not enough. We are actively out there trying to lure blokes like most and should hopefully pick up some talent in the next week. Overall we have had enough numbers to know we should be able to field two sides that will be more competitive than last year. The other positive has seen a number of former players start to return after a few years absence.

The duty of care is a tough one because I know myself that whilst never being a dirty player wont cop dirty crap and have been know to spark a few brawls. Fortunately the only games I have been involved in that have nearly got out of control have been properly officiated even if the umps ususally cause the problems to begin with. I got reported a few years ago (first and only in 15 years) and the boys on the panel slamed the umps and made it clear to them they were responsible for the incident. Saved me, as I only go two and not the expected 10.

Hopefully we dont see any duty of care issues arrise this year as a result of the return to greygums.

Lastly I suspect it will be enitrely the same as last year.

By allowing premier division sides to now have third grade sides rather than direct them to SFA clubs the comp has been hurt badly. I would be great if a directive came from the powers to make both divisions form an alliance which would see both divisions grow. ie - now thirds in premier div in return for the ability to say gain a max of 3 of the more talented SFA players to play in the SFL ea week in return for directing players to the SFA clubs.