Where have all the boundary umps gone?

[Coastal Boy]

I write this post in more disgust than anything and to get this off my chest.

As a dedicated club umpire I'm getting sick of there never being club boundary umpires. Sure, its not every club but I've umpired about 15 games this year and have had boundary umpires like 4 times.

It is very difficult for a central umpire to correctly adjudicate if the ball is in or out especially when it counts. Then there is the extra burden of ensuring boundary throw ins are conducted fairly and getting the ball back to the centre after a goal.

Look, I wouldn't care that much, but then I look over at the sideline and see runners and water carriers and bbqs and bars selling alcohol and people drinking alcohol......and yet no one thinks the boundary umps and other on-field roles should be filled first.

To make matters worse every time I need to "make a call" because the ball bounces like right near the line...one team or their bench goes off saying it was a bad call(so then we throw it in and then the other team goes off). I have even had players complaining about the standard of the boundary throw ins by players to which I replied: "well its your team throwing in and if you provided boundary umps we wouldn't have this problem'.

Occasionally having a game without boundary umps is ok....but it is starting to become an epidemic. Things were better a few years ago.
I suggest each team provides a boundary ump or cop a $50 fine from the league.
It's about professionalism, it's about standards, its the vibe of the thing.

I'm happy now.

[Pekay]

We supply our own at Bensons, only on the carpark side though......with the recent wind off the mountains, there's no need for one on the mountain side.

And I believe if the home team doesn't supply boundary umps, their players have to throw it in?

[ShortHalfHead]

I've found it discerning that in three of the last four games, that boundary umpires haven't been supplied by the league for our Div 1 games, especially when Div 2 have in the same time, been supplied with them. We generally pay some of our older junior feeder club players a bit of coin to do the boundaries

[saviour01]

The other week in the gong they didn't have any (despite being 50 or so people watching). The ump pre match said "who ever's the attacking team can throw it in" I said "No way, they are the home team they can do it". He was like "oh ok, I guess, if that's what you want to do"

[Coastal Boy]

No boundary umps for div 1 is disconcerting. Back in the day a player from the fwd line would throw it in. I assume the home team must provide boundary umps if not supplied but at this higher division I don't know if this rule applies.

I club umpired recently where a young kid stood beside the opposition player throwing it in (like netball after a foul). I told him to get in there and what the hell was he doing. I found out later apparently they do this in juniors.

[ShortHalfHead]

And it continues.....Div 1 have only two games from five with boundary umpires this week. On the other hand, Div 2 have boundaries at all games.

The Penrith V Uni NSW Div 1 match also has no goal umpires, yet Div 2 has a full book of goalies except for one match.

[saviour01]

why?