This is bullshit.
They have the same level of interpretation: favour WCE, give them help to keep in the game. Make it harder for EFC, keep the game closer
Good for TV advertisers.
Good for betting companies.
Good for giving AFL HQ “the results we need”.
The most repugnant thing was Nicholls acting like an absolute showpony to lav on the boundary line.
Should seriously get sacked for it. Was disgusting. Argumentative, belittling.
The umpiring of the sport has been nothing short of an abomination this season
The annoying thing is the missed frees wont be talked about at all.
but they will play the Merrett throw on repeat, that resulted in a goal for us.
I just think there is a bias against the Bombers from 2 decades ago when Sheeds started calling them Aliens, & then Hirdy called them cheats, & then Saga where everyone hated us.
naturally the maggots hoping to get likes off the other teams by smashing the drug cheats … just like vultures feeding off a near bare bones carcass with the AFL still to bring them to heel.
Would love to see stats on where our frees are given AND at what stage of the game time & points wise
It has been happening for a lot longer than that. In the '80s when we were a powerhouse we got bugger all free kicks in the first half of a game until it was obvious that we were going to win and then the free kick count was evened up. Generally with marks paid as frees because of infringements or in our back line etc where the impact was negligible.
Said it before, I’ll say it again, rules need a total overhaul to make it easier on the chumps. The game has gotten so quick and more players around the ball that it’s ridiculously hard to umpire. There’s been many times I’ve screamed at the tv only to watch the replay and have to admit even though I had the perfect angle, I got it wrong.
Sure some of them are just horribly incompetent but there’s far more to it. Here’s my main ways to fix the umpiring side of the game, in no particular order and based on what gets me frustrated when I’m watching non Essendon games as I’m sure im slightly biased (even though I feel I’m not).
Get rid of insufficient intent.
Stop continuously talking all game and reminding players what the rules are “don’t hold”, “keep a metre” etc etc - just shut up and pay free kicks and players will stop doing it and remember the rules.
Players should never be able to “appeal” for a free kick - it’s not cricket. As soon as someone stands there asking if it’s ball etc just pay a free against them. It annoys me when half a dozen players basically stop just to ask for a free (I’m not talking about the obvious ones where everyone stops expecting it) - I mean the ones where players kick the ball and it’s dribbling near the line etc and rather than grab the ball the players are appealing, before it’s even gone out.
Further clean up of holding the ball - none of this “he tried to dispose of it” - there are two ways to dispose of the ball, kick / handball, if you have any sort of prior and do not dispose with a kick / handball then it’s a free.
Get rid of the stupid “high” free kicks where someone’s fingernail slips slowly onto a shoulder - I’d rather just have a catch all “dangerous” tackle - not all tackles that slip a tiny bit high should be paid…
I’d almost rather they get rid of the “not 15” non mark and just class everything a mark if they can’t start measuring properly. I’d say that every single game has about 30 - 50 marks paid that haven’t gone 15 and then randomly have about 5-10 not paid that have gone further than most of the ones that are paid.
I’m sure I’ve missed a few and also sure that not everyone will agree…and maybe we are exaggerating because crowds etc…but I rarely watch any other games now for more than about 5 mins due to umpiring.
Oh and of course - make the damn chumps full time already ffs, such an amateur looking thing to have part time umpires…needs full time focus.
Nicholls was looking directly at a clear jumper pull on Ridley at one point in the last. He was fairly close, and with an unimpeded view. Ignored it.
Yes.
Not incompetence.
Following instructions.
Here’s a way to disprove all this: if he or any of them was so bad/incompetent, the AFL would send them to a lower league next week
If they thought they did a good job following instructions, they will be back next week in the seniors.
Simple experiment. Let’s see what happens.
It was the most instruction I’ve ever seen a player get to line up in a direct line with the mark and the centre of the goals when they weren’t actually lining up for goal. Technically it’s supposed to happen all over the field, but this is the only time I’ve ever seen them do it to someone at FB, and of course it didn’t happen again afterward.
Lav initially went short to the goal square and Nicholls called it back. After Nicholls lined him up I really wanted Lav to chip it back to the goal square again anyway.
Edit: Also, I’m not sure if there was anything stopping the ump from just calling play on if the player doesn’t follow instructions about lining up (apart from the rules that say the ump can only call play on if they fail to attempt to dispose of it in a reasonable time\attempt to dispose of it not on the right line. Running off the line and carrying the ball is not an attempt at disposal, therefore not play on.)
IMO that should happen all over the field too, including lining up for goal. If players are going to try to improve angles on the sly there should be a risk to it: the ump calling play on and suddenly oppo players can rush them.
I really wanted lav just to punt it into Nicholls face. He deserved it.
It certainly isn’t happening all over the field-, Eagle takes a mark in D50, goes back to set up the next kick and drifts 15 meters towards the middle and Stringer is screaming to the Ump play on, Ump calls stand and they’re away. Stringer looks at the Ump and says Fk it.
The crowd had to remind the Umps that taking 30 seconds from full back to find an outlet was probably long enough to then call play on
The Essendon player having to point out that McGovern was standing in the line of the goal square and the ump still hesitated to call play on told you everything you needed to know.
The Wright non mark was a disgrace. Lead to a wc goal
Martin tackle at the top of the goal should have been htb, or a high fend take your pick.
Denied a goal
Dursmah getting pinged for playing on outside the boundary, ignored later when wc did it. Lead to a wc goal iirc
Duggan breaks first tackle in the center then stone cold drops it in the second. Goal eagles
Nope, essendon doesn’t blow sides away, because we’re not allowed to
Hahahahaha
I don’t get this one. How many times does a forward have a set shot on the fence, and they play on to take the snap?
I was quite miffed by this one.
The 2MP mark that was denied was also bad, but it was made worse when a couple of minutes later Waterman took one in their forward line and had less control, but they paid it. They’ve been paying the Waterman one all year, but to deny the 2MP one, especially when we’ve seen similar not only paid but given 50m for knocking the ball away… that was particularly annoying.
Depends on where they end up kicking - inside or outside the boundary?
So if he hasn’t played on until he’s kicked it, any player lined up outside the boundary can presumably walk up to the boundary line - without play on being called - regardless of where the line to goal is?
If he moves off his line it should be play on
Therefore every player running around from outside the boundary should hand the ball the the boundary ump for a throw-in…