Match Day 2nd ELIMINATION FINAL Sydney v Essendon

[neilfws]

Didn't see that but did see Paps' flick, turn and handball to Towering in the 4th that was off the charts.

I didn't quite register it at the game, just watched the replay. Incredible and he seems to do stuff like this quite regularly, just too quick for me to process at the time!

[Doctor]

Just a quick comment on the umpiring. I've seen the odd post here and there throughout this thread on it and I was at the game yesterday and have watched the reply so I feel that I can comment. I thought the umpiring was the fairest I've seen in a final we've been involved in for some time. There was certainly the odd mistake but it was a genuine error rather than bias in my opinion and I thought the umpires tried to let the game flow as much as they could wherever they could. I would give them all a decent rating, other than Razor's centre bounce work. :-)

[Swansongster]

Just a quick comment on the umpiring. I've seen the odd post here and there throughout this thread on it and I was at the game yesterday and have watched the reply so I feel that I can comment. I thought the umpiring was the fairest I've seen in a final we've been involved in for some time. There was certainly the odd mistake but it was a genuine error rather than bias in my opinion and I thought the umpires tried to let the game flow as much as they could wherever they could. I would give them all a decent rating, other than Razor's centre bounce work. :-)

+1. Hardly noticed them (and that's how it should be).

[Mug Punter]

Just a quick comment on the umpiring. I've seen the odd post here and there throughout this thread on it and I was at the game yesterday and have watched the reply so I feel that I can comment. I thought the umpiring was the fairest I've seen in a final we've been involved in for some time. There was certainly the odd mistake but it was a genuine error rather than bias in my opinion and I thought the umpires tried to let the game flow as much as they could wherever they could. I would give them all a decent rating, other than Razor's centre bounce work. :-)

+1

I try and not come on here after a loss because of the wrist slitting and whingeing and whining about the umpires.

On the whole I think they do their best in a very difficult job and I think when we get a bad deal it is because of human error and not corruption which is basically what we accuse the Umps. If there was EVER any interference in AFL umpiring that constituted that then there is absolutely no way in the current game that this could not come out as there is just too much scrutiny. The idea that an umpire from Victoria will favour a club in Victoria above us and cheat, thereby threatening his livelihood an reputation, just because we are from NSW is as deluded as it is idiotic. As someone has mentioned it is much more likely that an ump will have a deep-seated dislike of another Melbourne club (e.g. Collingwood) and not reward them, should we also not allow Umps to officiate against clubs they supported as a kid or the arch rivals of that club.

I think the modern game would be an absolute nightmare to umpire and that on the whole they do a good job. For instance I know it was a clear penalty but that decision against Port last night was a real gutsy one.

The umpires are human too and they don't live in a bubble so I do worry about the subconsciously being affected by the hype that surrounds the Tigers' rise though if it isn't against us I'll be barracking for them too.

The only thing I don't like is any perceived penalties for poor performance and the lack of accountability for the Umps. They shouldn't be immune from fair criticism and poor performances should be acknowledged publicly and repeat offenders and really bad games should result in demotions.

The umpiring against the Doggies, in my opinion, did not cost us the game. It could have if it was a bit closer but the real reason we lost was the lack of contributors across the park, unlike what we saw last night.

Time to grow up a bit. Accusing the Umps of having a bad night is fine but blaming them every time we lose a game because they are cheats from Victoria is being tiresome

[Maltopia]

Replay up on BF thread

[Mug Punter]

What a terrific team performance, not a passenger in the whole side. Nothing taken for granted, we were ruthless and committed. That second quarter was one of the most complete quarters of finals footy I've ever seen, not a side left in the competition that could have withstood it.

Keep it up fellas, I'm loving the ride!!

Me too, what a journey.

Very confident about this Friday but the next two weeks will be uber tough. GWS could do us a favour by beating the Weagles and Richmond. Could they do it? I know I death rode them but having one less tall and a kick up the guts could spark them into action. If Shiel, Kelly, Whitfield, Coniglio and co can tear up the midfield they could create problems for the Tiges

[KTigers]

Re umpiring.... you would think it would take quite a lot of effort, commitment and experience to become an AFL umpire.
It's pretty hard to make it as an player, and there are way less jobs going for field umpires.
To umpire a final you would have to be at the top of your trade, right? To knowingly favour one team over another, or
wanting to suck up to Hodgy or whoever so you get invited to his post season BBQ sort of negates all of that, all of the
work you have put in to get to the top of the profession, for want of a better word.
So that's why I think the allegations of bias are stretching it a bit. These guys aren't that shallow and take
their job that lightly, surely. They miss infringements, and get sucked in by the crowd noise a bit on occasion, but the
bias thing, I don't really buy it.

[Bloods05]

Unfortunetly, this is the typical Victorian perspective on many integrity issues the game faces.

Balanced and sensible and eschewing paranoia. Unfortunate.

[Hotpotato]

It's refreshing to have some Ump Love on here. Be good to have one On The Couch or Open Mike even if retired .
It's remarkable how much free help and advice the players receive from the Umps not to infringe:
Hold Gary, a metre back Isaac, it's One All (in jumper punching), 15 seconds gone .....
They are like Mother Ducks in their determination to assist .

[barry]

This umpire love is sickening. You are letting a win gloss over the fact we were screwed again. The stats show a clear bias. It may not be intentional, but there is bias and it will all be against us for the remainder of the year.

Does anyone seriously think we will win a free kick count in this finals series?.
The odds of losing a free kick count 4 times in a row is 1 in 16.

[0918330512]

This umpire love is sickening. You are letting a win gloss over the fact we were screwed again. The stats show a clear bias. It may not be intentional, but there is bias and it will all be against us for the remainder of the year.

Does anyone seriously think we will win a free kick count in this finals series?.
The odds of losing a free kick count 4 times in a row is 1 in 16.

I think when you have undersized defenders punching above their weight against monster forwards (and generally winning), you will concede free kicks. I think a frustrated Buddy or worse still Zac Jones will concede more than their share of free kicks. I think the odd slow decision maker (Towers) will concede free kicks. I think a high proportion of inexperienced players will likely concede more free kicks.

I'm not saying that the Swans should concede more. I'm not saying that that there might not be bias.

I am saying that harping on about it season after season sounds very whiny & repetitive and doesn't change a single thing. It's like yelling at an umpire or player on TV. Kinda pointless.

[Bloods05]

I think when you have undersized defenders punching above their weight against monster forwards (and generally winning), you will concede free kicks. I think a frustrated Buddy or worse still Zac Jones will concede more than their share of free kicks. I think the odd slow decision maker (Towers) will concede free kicks. I think a high proportion of inexperienced players will likely concede more free kicks.

I'm not saying that the Swans should concede more. I'm not saying that that there might not be bias.

I am saying that harping on about it season after season sounds very whiny & repetitive and doesn't change a single thing. It's like yelling at an umpire or player on TV. Kinda pointless.

Yep.

[Plugger1300]

Swans players continually give away silly free kicks. They fall into the back of players on the ground or slip the tackle high
This is not an umpiring issue. It is clearly us.
GF last year aside (that was plain wrong) we have been on the wrong side of the Fk count through sloppiness
Ask Parker who is the NO 1 offender
I for one let it go as these boys are going in hard and will make the odd error.
Will happily lose the FK count if we win the clearances by playing on the edge

[barry]

Sounds like you are saying the swans are a dirty side?
I don't buy it.

[moocher]

What stood out to me on Saturday was our aerial superiority. I can't remember where we have been so dominant in the air over a quality side.
It was our most comprehensive win I've seen in a long time. When I tried to work out why, as has been noted on this forum earlier, it was the contribution of the bottom 6. They were exceptional.

I've questioned the inclusion of Towers for over 12 months. I should have just trusted the club who rarely miss in judging a player who is a 'developed' player rather than a natural. 7 of our side on Saturday came off the rookie list. Our patience and development strategies are outstanding. We just wait and keep coaching and the results are there as proof of a successful system. I include Toby Nankervis as a product of this system. He looked right at home with the Tigers on Saturday. You got the feeling that he'd been playing AFL for years.