Umps and Big Blubbering Baz

[anne]

Riewoldt must be second on the "protected list". And there must also be a reverse list of players - those NEVER to be given a free! The number 1 on that list is obvious!

[giant]

In advance, I query the wisdom of starting a thread that will be misconstrued from the word go. But has there ever been a game that was stopped in its tracks like tonight - and the ludicrous free paid against Baz for a soft push in Gwilt's chest? We had a chance until then, but that was the umpires' nail in the coffin.

However, can I also make a plea to the Swans? Please, oh please, can you give up crying poor and letting the game get away from you? Prime offender No 1 is Baz. Just get on with the game mate and see if you can hold a chect mark the next time it drops.

Offnder No 2 is Leo. We are in awe that he gives away over 10 cm to the blokes he plays on. But he's never going to be able to stand on his quivering lower lip to gain some height so got on with it.

Right on the money - every time we threatened last night the pillocks in yellow blew us away.

Given the way Gehrig & Riewoldt were treated all night, you'd assume you were watching a different sport. Putting aside the possiblity that the umps are having an affair with Harvey, the likely explanation for this is the carry on from our key protagonsists, the Barrys.

This is the first time I've felt umpires have impacted the result of one of our games for a long time, & God knows they certainly weren't the only reason - let's hope it's a blip and not a return to former dark days when our opponents started with an extra 20 possessions every game.

[NMWBloods]

Riewoldt must be second on the "protected list". And there must also be a reverse list of players - those NEVER to be given a free! The number 1 on that list is obvious!

The thing that particularly anonoyed me about the umpiring was the inconsistent treatment for the forwards. Riewoldt (especially) and Gehrig were given free kicks, but similar infringements against Hall and Davis were not paid.

[Danzar]

With some exceptions, I thought most decisions made by the umps were 'technically' correct. That's where it all went pear shaped. We were over policed rather than being the recipient of too many dodgy calls.

A bigger momentum crusher there could not be.

[bloodboy]

I totally agree Danzar, they probably were all 'technically' there. I just wish that if the umps were going to go down this road they would call every single free kick that was 'technically' there. They seem to be picking and choosing at the moment when they feel like getting technical...that is bloody annoying.

[TheMase]

Was one of the most one-sided umpiring I have ever seen.

These new rule interpretations are ridiculous, up for way too much scrutiny. It will turn people away from the game. I actually made the comment "if this sort of umpiring continues, I don't know why I would bother to keep watching the game. The specticle is gone."

[goswannie14]

The umpires crushed our roll at the start of the 3rd quarter with the most blatant display of favouritism I've ever seen. Was it 7 straight for the Saints in the 3rd quarter after we kicked our second goal? I almost jumped the fence to remonstrate I was so angry.

Yep, I was ready to jump down from my spot on level 3 next to the scoreboard. I rarely swear, but I did question the parentage of the idiot umpire at that stage.

As for Reiwoldt, I admire him as a footballer, but any time he was near the ball he was given a free kick, he doesn't need that sort of treatment.

Gehrig must have attended the Matthew Lloyd school of diving over the off season!!!

[floppinab]

With some exceptions, I thought most decisions made by the umps were 'technically' correct. That's where it all went pear shaped. We were over policed rather than being the recipient of too many dodgy calls.

A bigger momentum crusher there could not be.

It doesn't surprise me to see this thread but during the game I felt we got a few hard ones against us and they missed a few but by far the majority of the lopsided free kick count was for really stupid mistakes on our part, blatant push in the backs, and tellingly I reckon the umps are now well on top of Craig Boltons gentle nudges under the ball and arm chops, whereas he was getting away with a lot of those in the past.

[The Big Cat]

Consistency is all we ask. Craig Bolton takes one step, gets caught and it's HTB. A saints player gets turned a full 360 and its play on. Buchanan did duck his head, but that's not against the rules - he must be tackled for the ump to call HTB. Watched all the Riewolt frees on the big screen and on most occasions he got less contact than I do walking under an elm tree in autumn!

The scores were level in the 3rd quarter and a run of dodgy frees effectively changed the game in five minutes. A bit like when we jumped them early only to have the saints answer after bewildering centre square frees.

Roosy can't say a thing - he's got a suspended fine over his head for saying the umps last week couldn't bounce the ball (which they couldn't), plus it would have looked like sour grapes if he'd whinged about the maggots when he'd just lost to his mate Ross Lyon. Maybe his comments last week brought a bit of "we'll show him" from the umps. A bit reminiscent of the "whispers in the sky" controversy when Grant Thomas spoke up last year.

[TheHood]

Atrocious. Remember the prelim of 05. It takes really good footy to get over a free kick count as bad as that.

Matthew James is a rotten sod. So he gets pinged for a night on the sauce and takes it out on the Swans. Geesh.

Either way, the Monty HTB was a blight on the game of Australian Rules. That was not an umpiring error it was just sickening from the viewpoint of rules and interpretations. That's not the game that I love. AFL must take a serious look before it kicks old fans in the guts so as to attract new ones.

I really felt like it was the old days of Sydney copping it without reason.

[Danzar]

It doesn't surprise me to see this thread but during the game I felt we got a few hard ones against us and they missed a few but by far the majority of the lopsided free kick count was for really stupid mistakes on our part, blatant push in the backs, and tellingly I reckon the umps are now well on top of Craig Boltons gentle nudges under the ball and arm chops, whereas he was getting away with a lot of those in the past.

I agree but that was my point. We brought those free kicks on ourselves but as Big Cat says, the consistency was not there. St Kilda had it far easier than us which allowed them to assert themselves on the game. Maybe the umps were getting all religious and just couldn't bear to see the Saints decanonised.

I rarely worry about umpiring in the context of a win/loss but last night pissed me off no end. If I have to pick the lesser of two evils I'll take dodgy calls any day - at least that's an enemy you can see.

[ScottH]

There's a good pic in the HS of Baz arguing with Ump No. 27