A suggestion to help umpires avoid distance errors

Thank you, rosso, for an intelligent answer. I like it.

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That was my understanding too. The commentators have mentioned it a number of times.

Maybe someone needs to let the umpires know because half the kicks these days are lucky to go 10 metres. Drives me nuts.

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Oh yeah, absolutely drives me nuts too.

Absolutely. You want to hear me screaming at the TV during a game.

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Lots of umpires don’t appear to know, for example, that the centre square is fifty metres long.

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And thus this thread, Decks. :wink:

Good point.

Here’s another possible way, maybe, of improving on this distance issue.

In this day of technology, I’m certain there is a process for measuring distances, from a video of the game after it is over.

Prepare statistics and rate umpires on them.

For example, umpire X paid three 50 metre penalties, they were measured as 50, 45 & 58 metres.

Umpire X paid 50 marks, they were measured as 40 by more than 15m, 5 at 15m exactly and 5 by less than 15m.

They could also give a general overall match statistic, not for any particular umpires as that may be difficult, of players running with the ball, and indicate what percentage of players covered more than 15 metres before bouncing or disposing of the ball.

The AFL could get off their arzes, spend some money, and set this up.

Then each week, every umpire is given their stats and rated on the accuracy, or otherwise, of their assessments of distance. Perhaps the AFL could even come up with a monetary bonus which the most accurate umpire would receive on top of their pay!

This monetary bonus plus the fact that the umpires are made aware that this facet of their performance is being closely scrutinized, might, just might, see any possible lazy calls eliminated and a stronger, concentrated focus on assessing distance correctly.

I assume you’re being sarcastic. The AFL, and the umpires, are perfect. So there is no need for such stats; especially not ones released to the public.

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My son said he’d run too far until I pointed out he’d had a bounce…

I love how when players baulk, or do anything different to simply running, even non-ump brains very often get reset and start counting from scratch.

Yes, took a bounce and then took about 15-18 steps after the bounce before kicking…

I counted 11 maybe 12. In reality that’s over 15 m, but some players do get away with 14-15 strides.

Too many free kicks nowadays.

Less free kicks more ball ups.

Get rid of that genuine attempt rule and that makes it easier to adjudicate the holding the ball rule. Its either incorrect disposal or they had prior opportunity.

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I definitely get around 15 each time I watch it, hard to count exactly…he bounced just before the 50 and ends up slotting it from about 30 out, plus ran a little sideways…

As you say though, a lot of people get away with about 15 strides…happens about 5 times every game now when people play on after a behind.

Simpler solution re umpires and length.

Any maggot who claims their erect ■■■■■ is longer than 6cm is clearly rubbish at estimating distance, and barred from officiating.

blink

Try a white cane and a Labrador.

Not at all, mate. Just want to see the game freed from these blatant, frustrating inconsistencies.

Just put a GPS in the footy, linked to a FitBit on the Umpires wrist and it could tell them exaxctly how far the ball went. Technology Rules,

In fact, get rid of the Maggotts all together and do all umpiring by computer with implants in each player as well. The game could not be any worse.

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