Sydney Swans and the umpires

[Lucky Knickers]

What really irritates me is when an umpire awards a free kick in a situation where clearly he is relying, not on what he saw on the balance of probabilities, but on pure speculation and guess work. The free kick against Paul Bevan in the third quarter that led to a Fremantle goal, (and they kicked at least 4 goals from free kicks), was a case in question. Besides the fact that there was no body contact, there was no prospect that umpire Michael Avon could have seen any such body contact. He just guessed. That free kick and resultant goal ended the Swans? momentum at that time effectively ending the game as a contest.

ROK was unlucky to get a HTB free in exactly the same circumstance. There was no prior opportunity and the umpire was on the wrong side of the contest to make a call on whether he was making a effort, which he was.
Very frustrating. As I stated earlier, 17 free kicks in one qtr of footy is OTT. The AFL need to do something because they are creating a game that is impossible for an umpire to keep up with and appropriately mediate.

[cruiser]

I'm completely over the last quarter square up. It's embarrassing! They always pay us frees coming off our defensive line in the last quarter, I'm sure just to even up the tally! Maggots!

Someone please tell me I am imagining this?

Perfect example of a 'square up': All afternoon, Goodes was being held by his arm as he tried to get the ball. But only late in the final quarter, the game lost, did he finally get paid a free for this. I was livid.

[cruiser]

Sure I was frustrated by the performance generally by late in Q4, but I just absolutely blew up after Rohan was collected head-high, front-on, in a reckless challenge by a player who never had possession of the ball and was going over the top.

Right. In. Front. Of. The. Umpire.

We are deprived of our #1 ruckman, who we desperately need because our #2 is out injured, for 2 of the most critical games of the season, because the AFL decrees that the head is so sacrosanct that you can't even tackle someone vigorously around their midriff if it may have any possible ill-effects for the noggin of the tacklee; yet when a young player of ours putting his head over the footy has his head removed, it's play on.

@@@@ this bunch of absolute @@@@ing moronic @@@@wits, was something like my immediate reaction.

Couldnt have expressed my frustration better Simon.

Reading through this thread this morning is cathartic. My mates and I arent alone in our feelings about umpiring at Swans games.

[top40]

I said a few times during the game that the umpires umpire the game like the Sydney crowd don't know the rules.

Personally, I think it's about time a formal complaint was made.

Cop the 20K fine (I swear to L Ron Hubbard I'll stand outside the ground with a bucket to collect it) - and maybe not get beaten by the maggots.

I agree totally. Enough is enough!.

And I really don't care how much the AFL fines the Swans. It is a legal moot point that they have any right to enforce the fine via the Courts.

The other issue I have is the silence of the press, very very rarely to they get into umpiring decisions, worried no doubt that the Stalinist AFL might impose a fine or worse. The radio on the other hand and the TV to a lesser extent, are more frank.

I have never less enjoyed a game of AFL as I did for the Swans Dockers game. I did not pay my membership to watch Michael Avon "play".

Are you listening AFL?

[swansrule100]

i think we get a bum deal all the time, i just presume i am too one eyed.

[Peace]

hahaha were any of you at the fence when the umps were walking back into the change rooms, screaming bloody murder at them resulting in a cop coming along to make sure you didnt jump the fence and strangle one of them?

i might be that person if we get that sort of treatment again....

[swansrule100]

maybe the problem is none of the umpires seem to be from nsw

[Blood Fever]

The most outrageous inaction of the day.

Unbelievable non-call - the umpire must be dropped- Crowley should get 2 weeks- I was seething

[KirkysSocks]

The other issue I have is the silence of the press, very very rarely to they get into umpiring decisions, worried no doubt that the Stalinist AFL might impose a fine or worse. The radio on the other hand and the TV to a lesser extent, are more frank.

Are you listening AFL?

The AFL is trying really hard to protect the overall image of the umpires and are trying to get us, the footy public, to have a positive perception of umpires in general. But the harder they try the worst it's getting. Having umps mic'd up, having them refer to players by their nickname but at the same time treating them like school kids with condescending remarks during broadcasts, the umpire FOOTY CARD, umpires week, absolute no criticism of the umps at all..it's just makes it easier to attack them as they are now perceived as weaker fools. Also the constant tinkering of the rules is not helping the cause at all. You don't go changing rules each week.

If the AFL really want us, the footy public, to respect umpires then bring them back down to normal levels. Sack the yes man in Geishen, have a weekly forum or a q&a regarding dubious decisions, allow the umps to admit they made a mistake..we are all human and bring back respect towards players. The umps just need to say "Number 31 good tackle but you got him high free kick to number 2" and not act like primma donnas.

And as for your last point the AFL only listens when $$$$$ is involved.

[swansrule100]

arent the umps still part time?

[IrishSwanPerth]

Its sad the players dont understand what are fouls, coaches dont know how to train players how to tackle. unpires over rule each other. What chance have us supporters got.

[ScottH]

I was a bit outraged by some of the HTB in the 1st qtr, but then we got at least one dodgy one back.

I'm amazed when a player is pinned to the ground with no way of getting rid of a ball, players laying all over their BACK, and then get pinged, HTB.

[IrishSwanPerth]

Swans players need to stop jumping on the ball they need to be a lot cleaner and play with a lot more skill, we go to the ground more often than other teams. Plus once you go to ground you take yourself out of the game. We lost 3 goals against the Saints by going to ground Grundy once and LRT twice. Players with clean natural ability will pin you or pressure you into making mistakes.

[Flossie]

I dont think you are imagining it. I always look at the stats at 3/4 time and if the opposition have got heaps more frees than us you can bet your life in the last quarter they start giving us frees. I thought the umpiring yesterday was absolute rubbish. Worse that having the two baldies!!!

Someone please tell me I am imagining this?[/QUOTE]

[top40]

And as for your last point the AFL only listens when $$$$$ is involved.

My point is that this is a marketing issue. If this football code in such a highly competitive market such as metropolitan Sydney is going to be so poorly administrated where poor umpiring decisions or badly thought after rules, dominant a game, where body contact is basically condemned, where individual players are favoured or not favoured, I will be inclined to move on to follow another football code. Good luck GWS or indeed the Sydney Swans, if many others have the same attitude as me! It is very similar to how I feel about the tolerance of diving by referees in international soccer