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What is the general feeling amongst all the footy clubs regarding NSW umpires? I see on the sydneyafl website there is a call out for trainers to assist this yr, which personally i feel is great step forward. Do we think the umpiring needs to improve this yr or are we happy with the standard we get given each week? What improvements need to happen and how does nswafl go about it? I know it's lame, however i'm up late working and was thinking about footy...
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Looking dangerous in the forward 50 -
It?s probably the most thankless job in football. Our game is (I think) the only game in which the umpire touches the ball and has to perform an act of skill with it, and they have to run just as much as the players. The level of fitness required to be an umpire would be as much as what a player needs, but they?ve never had the training resources the players have had ? so if something?s put in place to give them that, it?s got to be a good thing.
One football clich? says that the best umpires are when you don?t notice they?re there. There?s some truth to that ? you do tend to notice the decisions they get wrong more often than the majority of decisions they get right.
I?ve seen some absolutely shocking decisions, and some of them have decided the results of games ? we all have. But some of the abuse that umpires cop as a result of their decisions is appalling. Especially in junior games, the way some parents carry on when their child gives away a free is an absolute disgrace. It?s no wonder that it?s so hard to get umpires.
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It is a thankless task and we need more of them and the older I get my opinion tends to mellow when Ive had time to calm down.
My biggest problem is whilst the majority of players do it for the love of it the umpires are paid reasonably well for a few hours work yet there appears to be little accountability for the inept actions of some of the bumbling fools amongst their ranks.Comment
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The pay is ok for a few hours work? You haven't considered the preparation, training, travel etc. Then there's the abuse! After all those considerations its not great money.
We need to be more supportive of umpires. The BDAFL are facing declines in umpire numbers. Last year they introduced a club umpire system for the reserve grade, which worked well considering it was the first year.
This year there could be club umpires umpiring some first grade games. It's not ideal, but when the numbers are down there are not too many other options.
There will always be good and bad but as supporters of the game we have to remember that most do it out of love and support of the game, not the money.Comment
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I've given up complaining about the bad decisions i see.
I now encourage them to be consistent.
Consistently bad or consistently good decisions... That's all I ask for!Comment
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I agree tara, we all know that when you have the human element people will get decisions wrong but when you continualy see the same guys doing first grade games even after they are umpiring well below par it makes you wonder. There are even a few in the premier division who if you talk to most clubs they all give you the same opinion. At least a few years ago guys like Kev Meade etc had the respect of the players and vice versa and weren't too precious if a player questioned a decision and communicated alot better with the players. You only have to watch the footy on tv and listen to the interaction between the players and umpires compared to in our leagues.Players are only human also and it is a natural reaction to Question decisions you dont think are right. Abusing umpires is not on in any way, but i think its a shame that sometimes they cant admit when there wrong and do something about it.The edge is not the limit, It's just the starting point...Comment
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I agree. You would rather know which way a call is going to go and just get on with the footy.
I have a question though: If all three divisions are playing on saturdays (in most cases), how is the league going to be able to supply enough umpires for all of the games?
Secondly, you think you've got it bad in Sydney...try languishing in the South Coast league....not a lot of qualtiy umpires there!!!Time to play the Game!!!Comment
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key forward this one is for you.... if you had ever played outside of sydney you would see that we were blessed with the umpires we had every week...
at the moment the northern territory umpires would have to be the WORST IN THE WORLD and and after discussions last year with frank and anton and lessels they are actually very good umpires and they do a great job under circumstances of being abused and threatened and taunted every week... also wouls have to say the umpires in the Yarra valley league must have been puuled from the pub and asked to umpire for the day.... so thumbs up to sydney afl umpires... well maybe not all of them but 90 %....Comment
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I think it all comes down to communication. When i started many moons ago, guys like Mark Rendell were umpiring & you could sort of argue your point and they would explain there decision or have a bit of a joke with you.
The best umpire in the league is Frank & it suprised me that he didnt get the senior GF job. Frank & aNton are of the same vintage as Mark & know where to draw the line.
Some of the guys currently umpiring are on ego overdrive. Ive seen umpires in first grade come in to the rooms and try & kick a player off the rub down table before a match and give attitude to female physios when told to wait in line.
I gave away a free kick in a game this year and said "yep fair enough" & the kid umpiring gave a 50m penalty saying "dont back chat me".
On the same day i saw a opposition player run 100m to get in the umps face and scream "you are a effing spastic @@@@" and not even a free kick was given. But the same umpire 5 minutes later gave a 50m penalty for a player saying"No".
If they can improve there communication and be consistant with there approach then a lot of problems can be eradicated. It is a thankless job i agree but i still cannot for the life of me understand why the home club has to pay for the umpires and not the league. Surely they are employees of the NSWAFL?Comment
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Couldn't agree more with you shearer. There are a couple of umpires (one especially) that are so precious it isn't funny and if we looked at the tribunal records im sure we would see them there nearly every wed night with a charge of abusing an umpire. like you said those umpires you mentioned as well as Meadey and Yoley etc loved abit of banter and when enough was enough we all knew when to shut up. The diff was as i said before that they had earn't the respect of the players by talking to them on the same level not with a holy than thow approach. Using the letter of the law to the enth degree isn't always the best approach for eveyone. Maybe its not there fault and they are being told to act in this way, if so it doesn't seem to be working......
Ps. Rooster could you possibly suck up anymore. I take it you must be coming back for one more year looking for those extra 3 votes this time. Ha HaThe edge is not the limit, It's just the starting point...Comment
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no sucking up at all.. if you could see the umpires up here and the way they prance around the field and really have no idea about the game you would realise that umpires like pech and co are not that bad.... players do have to take some responsability and shut their mouth... i admitt i give them some ideas during the game wether they like it or not every one does it... after all every one is out there trying to do their best (including those in orange,white, what ever color they wear) and the teams are not going out there to lose so when things go against them naturally you are dissapointed on that tho........ umpires do need to have thicker skin...Comment
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all i have to say is be thankfull that you are actually getting an umpire try playing resies or in one of the lower divisions where you just do not get an umpire and have to fend for youself with a club umpire that will just burn you as quick as.Carn' The CrowsComment
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When did I suggest Syd ALF umpires are not up to the standard? My post was simply to start a common thread in which everybody had the chance to voice their opinion.
You must be the most vain bloke I know and the only bloke who could talk about themselves in a thread titled umpires. Sorry I have a life outside of football mate and don't have the luxury of travelling all over the place to play.
My opinion is the same as Dunger's actually, in that all I ask is that they are consistent. I'm fairly sure that's what most of us want. If you see a decision made then you want the same decision made for the entire game on both sides.
We are blessed to have umpires who give up their time for various reasons to referee our game.
This one's for you Rooster - Give the whole "i love myself" thing a rest mate!!Looking dangerous in the forward 50Comment
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"It's up to the rest of the players in the room to make a new batch of premiership players next year," Adam Goodes, triple Bob Skilton Medallist, October 7, 2011.
YOU BETCHA!!!!!!Comment
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