Frees against

[hot potato]

The number of frees paid against The Swans on the weekend against The Lions (19) was 29, too many to give away esecially in finals. The biggest offender Leo with 4. Only WCE were higher with 31.
This needs to be addressed at this time of the year.

[stellation]

A good point, to me it's a big concern when we are (or at least seem to be) consistently giving away frees in the forward 50. I would have thought that, unfairly persecuted or not, we would have learnt something from the number of frees we gave away in the Geelong game.

I'm not sure at times that we use our free man in defence overly well, and I think that can contribute to one or two of the holding/scragging frees- we seem to send him forward with every backline generated forray and there rarely seems to be a limit on how far he should move without the ball. If we turn it over in the middle of the ground and it comes back quickly it gives leading forwards that bit more (direct) space to lead into.

I'm really dissapointed with how slow we seem to be with adapating to new rules, or new interpretations of rules, in general- in the Bombers/Saints match yesterday the commentators were talking about how much of an improvement the quick kick-in rule has been, after so many people were wary of it; I don't think we utilize this at all (and I seem to whinge about it constantly). I think it's something that the football department really seems to struggle with.

[johnno]

I've come up with a new theory on this over the last few seasons. As I'm sure a lot of people have noticed, pretty much every season since 03, we only manage a handful of games where we come out on the positive in the frees for and against ledger. It seems to me that we win more games when we come out in the negative in that ledger, and lose more when we are in the positive.

[connolly]

A good point, to me it's a big concern when we are (or at least seem to be) consistently giving away frees in the forward 50. I would have thought that, unfairly persecuted or not, we would have learnt something from the number of frees we gave away in the Geelong game.

I'm not sure at times that we use our free man in defence overly well, and I think that can contribute to one or two of the holding/scragging frees- we seem to send him forward with every backline generated forray and there rarely seems to be a limit on how far he should move without the ball. If we turn it over in the middle of the ground and it comes back quickly it gives leading forwards that bit more (direct) space to lead into.

I'm really dissapointed with how slow we seem to be with adapating to new rules, or new interpretations of rules, in general- in the Bombers/Saints match yesterday the commentators were talking about how much of an improvement the quick kick-in rule has been, after so many people were wary of it; I don't think we utilize this at all (and I seem to whinge about it constantly). I think it's something that the football department really seems to struggle with.

In fairness those changes were aimed directly at our style of play.

[Industrial Fan]

Without looking it up, I would have guessed that this year was our best ff/fa ratio for a few years?

Although Leo Barry gave away minimal frees last year compared to his outstanding efforts to lead the comp in 06.

[wolftone57]

Perplexed

Quite frankly I was totally perplexed by the umpiring on the weekend. I know the commentators were also as they commented on the decisions often enough. I was not only confused by frees that went against us but also some that went against the Lions. Situations where players have absolutely no chance of getting rid of the ball being called for holding it in. Also the treament given Barry Hall when 3 opponents were leaping against him all night & interfering & not one free? But I must admit that this gave more opportunities to the likes of Moore & Vespa. In all the umpiring this year has been totally inconsistent & must frustrate the players no end. This is probably why there has been more 50m given out this year than any other. I would also love to see the stats for free kick ratio of Melbourne clubs against their interstate rivals.
We are giving away far too many frees in the defence & Leo & LRT are the main offenders. Leo for our sake stop holding!!!

[Wardy]

Quite frankly I was totally perplexed by the umpiring on the weekend. I know the commentators were also as they commented on the decisions often enough. I was not only confused by frees that went against us but also some that went against the Lions. Situations where players have absolutely no chance of getting rid of the ball being called for holding it in. Also the treament given Barry Hall when 3 opponents were leaping against him all night & interfering & not one free? But I must admit that this gave more opportunities to the likes of Moore & Vespa. In all the umpiring this year has been totally inconsistent & must frustrate the players no end. This is probably why there has been more 50m given out this year than any other. I would also love to see the stats for free kick ratio of Melbourne clubs against their interstate rivals.
We are giving away far too many frees in the defence & Leo & LRT are the main offenders. Leo for our sake stop holding!!!

Ray Chamberlain was your fit man on the ground in the thick it - I really do believe there should be height scales for umps - Little Ray is too bloody short to see half of whats going on, but doesnt he just love blowing his whistle!!! - and I commented accordingly on the day!

[AussieAnge]

Ray Chamberlain was your fit man on the ground in the thick it - I really do believe there should be height scales for umps - Little Ray is too bloody short to see half of whats going on, but doesnt he just love blowing his whistle!!! - and I commented accordingly on the day!

Stop being shortist!

[goswannie14]

Ray Chamberlain was your fit man on the ground in the thick it - I really do believe there should be height scales for umps - Little Ray is too bloody short to see half of whats going on, but doesnt he just love blowing his whistle!!! - and I commented accordingly on the day!

So....size really does matter Wardy?

[Darren Thomson]

I watched the game again when I got home. The benefits of modern technology, as I was also perplexed by a lot of decisions, things certainly do seem different on TV than they do at the ground, having said that, I still believe it's sometimes better to give away the free and slow the play down. Perhaps the answer is to give away more frees and get time to man up, then force them to kick to a contest, this would suit us, and if you looked at the Collingwood game, it was played on their terms not ours, No stoppages, short quarters, low free count I think. I still maintain that at times we are paying against 24 or 25, have been forever, just shows how good we really were in 05-06 because it was no different then.

[hot potato]

I watched the game again when I got home. The benefits of modern technology, as I was also perplexed by a lot of decisions, things certainly do seem different on TV than they do at the ground, having said that, I still believe it's sometimes better to give away the free and slow the play down. Perhaps the answer is to give away more frees and get time to man up, then force them to kick to a contest, this would suit us, and if you looked at the Collingwood game, it was played on their terms not ours, No stoppages, short quarters, low free count I think. I still maintain that at times we are paying against 24 or 25, have been forever, just shows how good we really were in 05-06 because it was no different then.

Slowing the play down right in front of the opposition goals doesnt help anyone. Leo and co should be experienced enough and smart enough not to keep holding, not to belt arms despite it being a silly rule.

[Darren Thomson]

Slowing the play down right in front of the opposition goals doesnt help anyone. Leo and co should be experienced enough and smart enough not to keep holding, not to belt arms despite it being a silly rule.

That's a fact, both things, Iwas thinking more up the ground in a general sense, giving away frees in front of goal wasn't part of my thinking

[Nico]

I might be seeing things but Geelong seem to get a lot of frees for head high tackles. I have noticed Jimmy "don't call me James" Bartel either ducks his head or drops his knees to get a head high free, but someone from another club does the same thing and it's "BALL".

It is this sort of inconsistency that sees players point up the ground protesting against an opposite call to their team.

[Wardy]

So....size really does matter Wardy?

Well height wise it does, Ray cant see over the top of a blade of grass.

Your typical short man whith short man syndrome! (and greatest apologies to the nice vertically challenged out there)