Most overtly biased umpiring I have seen

[TheMase]

Because they aren't allowed to make calls about whether the ball is out of bounds or not. Only Boundary umpires or Goal Umpires if the boundary umpire is out of position when the ball is going forward as it was in the McPhee example last night.

I am fairly sure that is wrong... and I have been both a field and boundary umpire (and field is much easier on the legs).

I am almost certain a field umpire can over-rule a boundary umpire, not only make a decision that they miss.

[Swannette]

Just to add further fuel to the fire......there was just an interview with one of the umps on Fox in a segment largely devoted to the HITB rule. Didn't see the beginning of the segment but I got the impression that last night's demonstration at the scg was part of why they were doing it. Anyhoo, the ump was asked about what the umps do when they arrive....yada yada, "and the field umps will confer and discuss what we can expect". You can hear it now "Big Barry Hall tonight fellas, no frees for him. Hirdy should go out on a good note and gee he's a champion fella, so look out for him OK. Oh and Lloydy, yea, look, he's always getting pushed in the back so be on the look out for that OK. Righto."

[robbieando]

If a player's right foot is on the boundary line and they kick it with their left, then the ball has to go out of bounds. It's impossible for it not to.

I don't disagree with that point and I'm like the rest of you in saying "how the hell could the boundary ump miss that" but after looking at replay after replay, I can UNDERSTAND WHY he didn't call it out of bounds.

I wish like the rest of you he used some logic and called it out of bounds but I'm more than willing to bet that he didn't see it go out or at least go fully out and therefore wasn't going to call it out. Its a tough brake because it cost us a goal but I looking at it today I don't believe that one call cost us the match, so I'm not so upset about it.

All we'll get out of the AFL and the Umpiring Dept is a statement that the ball was out, should of been called out by the boundary umpire but wasn't because he wasn't positioned well enough.

[robbieando]

Just to add further fuel to the fire......there was just an interview with one of the umps on Fox in a segment largely devoted to the HITB rule. Didn't see the beginning of the segment but I got the impression that last night's demonstration at the scg was part of why they were doing it. Anyhoo, the ump was asked about what the umps do when they arrive....yada yada, "and the field umps will confer and discuss what we can expect". You can hear it now "Big Barry Hall tonight fellas, no frees for him. Hirdy should go out on a good note and gee he's a champion fella, so look out for him OK. Oh and Lloydy, yea, look, he's always getting pushed in the back so be on the look out for that OK. Righto."

Nothing about last night was said, just a pre planned bit on the HITB rule after the Richo free last weekend. Nothing was said about last night.

[robbieando]

I am fairly sure that is wrong... and I have been both a field and boundary umpire (and field is much easier on the legs).

I am almost certain a field umpire can over-rule a boundary umpire, not only make a decision that they miss.

Depends on what the League rules are

8.2.2 Boundary Umpires
(a) Duties
Unless determined otherwise by the relevant Controlling Body, the
duties of a boundary Umpire include without limitation:

I'm guessing the AFL don't allow the Field Umpires to over-rule Boundary Umpires on Out on Bounds and Out on the Full calls but a Junior League might in certain cases. I certainly don't remember it happening at the AFL level in my time watching the game and I doubt ANY umpire last night would of been in a better positon to notice whether McPhee had gone out.

Its a tough call thats gone against us, there is nothing we can do about it. We move on and focus on the Hawks next week.

[matthew smith]

like everyone else, I was livid over the biased umpiring, the worst i have seen for a long time, I don't like where the game is heading, if it does, it will lose the fans with the silly HITB rule.

[liz]

It's not even that decision that I'm maddest about. The umpires didn't see it - human error.

But I'm just not sure how Hird's mate McLaren can fail to see Davis pushed squarely in the back when he was standing only metres away. Or how they can miss Bolton putting his hands in the face of Goodes. Or how they can possibly have deemed that Malceski either had prior opportunity or a chance to dispose of the ball in that final quarter. Or why when Michael runs into Hall's hip and bounces off, he gets a free kick.

And I'm really struggling to understand what is "in the back" and not "in the back" in a tackling situation. Or why some players can have their heads ripped off and get no protection. (And those aren't just in respect of Sydney - both teams got soft ones and had no-brainers missed.)

[TheMase]

I'm guessing the AFL don't allow the Field Umpires to over-rule Boundary Umpires on Out on Bounds and Out on the Full calls ...

It is probably less that they allow it, and more so that they should not be required to.

All the umpires including the boundary umpires are professional, and therefore should not require over-ruling.

I doubt any umpire was in a better position, and I am kind of glad we lost to some extent (we certainly did not deserve to win). The boundary umpires have a tough gig, and at the rate the game has sped up perhaps it is time for the AFL to consider 4 total per game.

[TheHood]

It's not even that decision that I'm maddest about. The umpires didn't see it - human error.

But I'm just not sure how Hird's mate McLaren can fail to see Davis pushed squarely in the back when he was standing only metres away. Or how they can miss Bolton putting his hands in the face of Goodes. Or how they can possibly have deemed that Malceski either had prior opportunity or a chance to dispose of the ball in that final quarter. Or why when Michael runs into Hall's hip and bounces off, he gets a free kick.

And I'm really struggling to understand what is "in the back" and not "in the back" in a tackling situation. Or why some players can have their heads ripped off and get no protection. (And those aren't just in respect of Sydney - both teams got soft ones and had no-brainers missed.)

They absolutely did not miss a leg in the head to a Dons boy but with absolute clear vision, they missed the Goodes molestation. That was more than poor umpiring or an error, it was judged as soft, something that Essendon would not get because they need protection.

I knew Demetriou was going to try and get Vic teams up and running to a flag, but jeesh, SO SOON!

[smartplay]

My passion for the game has dwindled this year. We played a shocker last night but the new rules and their interpretation are making the game almost unwatchable.

DEMETRIO/AFL UMPIRES,

THIS IS THE ONLY MESSAGE THAT I WILL POST THIS YEAR 07

YOUR AFL UMPIRING & NEW RULES SUCKS!
YOU HAVE LOST ME IN AFL GAME !
YOU WONT EARN ANY MORE TICKET$ FROM ME FOR A LONG LONG TIME
UNTIL YOU GET YOUR MESS IN ORDER.

KEEN NEW AFL/SWAN FOLLOWER FOR PAST 2-3 YEARS FROM SYDNEY.

[Ed_Gein]

The worst umpiring i have seen since the game in Rd 6 2004 against yup... the Bombers, coincidently i believe that was the game straight after Hird copped the fine after calling McLaren a cheat. We were royally raped that day. 5 or 6 goals they got that day from the worst umpiring blunders i've ever seen to this day. Whether they were actually blunders or the 20k gifting them that win, i'll never know.

Last night wasn't as bad as that, but there were a lot of disgusting decisions. I actually don't think we deserved to win, but i guess when you lose in that manner knowing you could have pinched it makes it even worse i guess. We should be getting used to it by now when we're about to play the Bombers we will be hard done by one way or another.

[BBBBH]

DEMETRIO/AFL UMPIRES,

THIS IS THE ONLY MESSAGE THAT I WILL POST THIS YEAR 07

YOUR AFL UMPIRING & NEW RULES SUCKS!
YOU HAVE LOST ME IN AFL GAME !
YOU WONT EARN ANY MORE TICKET$ FROM ME FOR A LONG LONG TIME
UNTIL YOU GET YOUR MESS IN ORDER.

KEEN NEW AFL/SWAN FOLLOWER FOR PAST 2-3 YEARS FROM SYDNEY.

did someone say bandwagoner?!? oh wait i think its this guy.

seriously though, we didnt get the rub of the green but we were beaten by a better side on the night. whinging about the umps wont help our cause, it just makes us look like bitches who need the umpires to win games...thats not us, we're a champion team who change/shape their own destiny. if bad umpiring comes along the way...so be it.

[top40]

[QUOTE=robbieando;311427]Depends on what the League rules are

I'm guessing the AFL don't allow the Field Umpires to over-rule Boundary Umpires on Out on Bounds and Out on the Full calls but a Junior League might in certain cases.

Are you now starting to hesitate about whether or not the Field Umpire can have a final say? The more I look at the replay, the more angry I become. No, it wasn't a deliberate act of cheating. No, the boundary umpire isn't somehow on the take at Windy Hill. But, no also, it was not some form of "there, there, that was an understandable mistake, poor bloke". Sorry, but it was a gross error, a terrible mistake, which not be defended.

[anne]

did someone say bandwagoner?!? oh wait i think its this guy.

seriously though, we didnt get the rub of the green but we were beaten by a better side on the night. whinging about the umps wont help our cause, it just makes us look like bitches who need the umpires to win games...thats not us, we're a champion team who change/shape their own destiny. if bad umpiring comes along the way...so be it.

I don't agree at all with this statement. We don 't need umpires to win games but we need fair umpiring to have the same chance of winning that our opposition has. We didn't play well but biased umpiring certainly didn't help our cause and most likely did cost us the game. In fact Essendon has won their last two games with the help of the umpires! I think the game, and umpiring in particular is in a very bad state and people will give up going. I have been going for over 40 years and am seriously so frustrated that I am considering sparing myself the frustration and just not going. I am certainly not bothering to travel up to Sydney 5 times a year anymore.

[BigBadBrazza]

OK a HUGE mistake was made the resulted in a goal to Essendon that won them the match because the TV cameras picked it up, but its not like the boundry umpire was right in front of Adam McPhee when he took the ball out of bounds. He was at least 30 to 40 metres behind McPhee, with McPhee's body blocking the ball, so there was no way he had a clear line of vision to make the decision.

You might say he should of been up with the play, but with only two boundary umpires (one on each side of the ground) and Essendon on a quick brake how do you expect to sprint up the ground to make the call without being installed as the bookies favourite for the next Stawell Gift? Umpire can't make decisions unless they are 100% (I know, I know thats a bit rice at times) but with the Boundary ump off the play and therefore out of position to make any call, it was up to the goal umpire to assist in the decision which for him would be hard considering there was a forward line entry (and soon after a shot on goal), plus he was even further out of position.

Yes they got it wrong and it cost us dearly, but the umpires were caught out of position because of a quick brake.

Also if you think being a boundary umpire is so easy I suggest you give it a go sometime, because having done it before I know I rather be a field umpire than a boundary umpire its that bloody hard.

What about the bloody magot with number 1 on his back. He was in front of McPhee on the boundary closer than any of the boundary ump and he still couldn't see the ball was out.

Bloody Pathetic