I have a proposal

Football Discussion Dustin Fletcher Hangar
1

I will start by acknowledging that this may sound silly, adventurous and quite far-fetched, but anyhow…

The umpiring performances over the last few weeks have just about pushed me over the edge as a supporter, and the tipping point for me was last weekend where you would’ve thought it was the same utterly incompetent clowns on Saturday at Windy Hill as we had to endure on Thursday evening. Combined with the GWS match two weeks prior, and other mind-boggling umpiring performances in our games this year notably Gold Coast in Round 1, Port Adelaide in Round 3 and StKilda in Round 9.

If there is one thing that our supporters and members have been succeeded at recently and in years gone by, it is making a stand. Sadly, it is at times when we fear the club isn’t going to take a course of action so we must. Campaigns also started right here like Stand By Hird and Back Our Boys were noticeable. They were real, and as a supporter it felt unbelievable to be a part of. When we make protests, when we take a stance, despite how much people hate it; they notice it.

Free kicks paid and free kicks missed this year in our games are not just about quantity. As many have pointed out, it is the timing, location on the ground and the consequences of free kicks - such as resulting in an opposition goal - that are the most painful. Sadly I am not sure the whole idea of conspiring and corrupt umpiring in our games coming as a directive from above is a joke any longer.

I have intentions of compiling a report on the umpiring in Essendon matches across the 2016 season, and seeking an explanation from the afl. I am of the opinion they have to be held to account for this, they must explain themselves over this because for lots of our supporters this is becoming too much to handle. The report would not be completed until after our season concludes, but the most important part of it will be the proposed e-Petition attached to it. This concept probably means very little on face value, and will likely have little impact on it’s own. However if a few thousand signatures were attached from Essendon people, I believe the request would carry a lot more weight.

Having umpired several years of junior and senior football myself, I watch both live and replays of our matches and most weeks I am baffled. Sometimes the umpiring is beyond belief, and to me, seems to be something that is getting worse and worse as the weeks go on. And this is without even delving into past seasons gone by.

What do I want from my fellow Blitzers? Your thoughts, ideas, criticisms too. Is something like this worth running with if it can garner enough support? And if so, your support and ideas. I think this idea can work but I will need more brains on this than just my own.

Cheers
TVB

2

They need sub umpires. if you’re umpiring sh*t then you’re off. It’s not about the total of free kicks it’s where they are paid and we very rarely ever get any in our forward line. In saying that the ump commission will always support the umpires on majority of decisions we think are utter crap.

3

I did a study in into umpiring once. It proved conclusively that the shttier a team performs, the shttier it’s supporters become with the umpires.

4

I admire your passion TVB. But my advice would be to go down to the pub and have a beer. The reward will be greater and the mental anguish from being ignored by the AFL Politburo and their sycophantic band of ‘yes men’ will be significantly less.

5
I admire your passion TVB. But my advice would be to go down to the pub and have a beer. The reward will be greater and the mental anguish from being ignored by the AFL Politburo and their sycophantic band of 'yes men' will be significantly less.

Thanks LD.

I am in total agreement with you that regardless of how such a thing was presented there is every chance it is just ignored.

6

Supporters of every team think they are hard done by. It’s the nature of the interpretation system of the rules of our game. So many grey areas mean that one set of supporters will see it one way, another set the opposite.

While I agree that we have been on the receiving end of some absolute shockers, I’m sure all clubs can say the same. Weaker teams that lose often are generally worse off when it comes to umpiring. Some Blitzers have suggested this is due to the umpires subconsciously deciding that the better teams will have better skills and therefore get the benefit of the doubt on some occasions. I tend to agree that is more probable that some sort of conspiracy theory against any particular team.

I do however, think that umpires square the ledger in the second half or close to the end of quarters. It’s fairly common for a team to be 20-10 up in free kicks only to finish 25-20 by the end of the match. Usually the ledger is squared after the game is out of reach and the frees seem to be paid in positions that will least affect the outcome of the match. I watch a bit of footy (less than in previous years) but this seems to be a common tend among all teams, not just EFC. It hurts more when its us because of the emotion involved but generally I do not believe we are on the receiving end of some umpire driven vendetta.

7

The umpires have always favoured top sides, even essendon in that long ago time when we were one.

8

Yes I think alcohol is the only viable option in this situation. All the effort for no response or some cookie cutter response that each decision made on its merits blah blah. I think this year poor decisions have stood out so much more because all is it takes is a few to finish us off. Our list at present needs all the help it can get and a missed free in front of goal rebound goal opposition can be enough to snuff us out and open the flood gates. You then end up looking at that decision as the single factor to the lose. If it was our normal list we would have the skill, experience etc to counter that and not make that free the game changer.

I spent all this time dealing with the Australian broadcast commission when c Wilson ran the headline Hird removed as coach but he wasn’t. In summary Wilson breached multiple guidelines etc but nothing to see here. I implore you to read below on the finding as it will blow your mind and make you realise how ridiculous governing bodies are in enforcing standards. Then keep in mind the afl can do wtf they want. It’s a bit of long read below but well worth it and after reading it twice your left sctracthing your head.

Go dons onward and upward.

To Whom It May Concern,
RE: The Age, “James Hird removed as Essendon coach”, 2 October 2014
I write in relation to your complaint about the aforementioned item.
As with yours, we received a number of complaints from persons not personally identified or directly affected by the material, so this was treated as a secondary matter: www.presscouncil.org.au/reception-of-complaints/.
Please note the matter proceeded to an adjudication, and the Adjudication Panel partly upheld the complaints.
I now write to inform you the full outcome is published today, both on the Press Council’s website (for instance, at: www.presscouncil.org.au/document-search/adj-1638/) and that of the publication (for instance, at: www.theage.com.au/victoria/press-council-adjudication-20150506-ggv2e7.html).
Thank you for raising the matter for our attention, which has now been concluded, and for your patience throughout the process.
Yours Sincerely,
| Complaints and Compliance Officer

APC logo
The Press Council has considered whether its Standards of Practice were breached by online reporting in The Age on 2 October 2014 relating to James Hird, coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
On 2 October, a headline “James Hird removed as Essendon coach” was posted on the homepage of the publication. It was linked to an article supporting the statement in the headline, however Mr Hird was not in fact removed and continued to be the coach.
Advertisement

After receiving complaints, the Council asked the publication to comment on whether the material in its original form breached its Standards of Practice requiring reasonable steps to be taken to ensure accuracy, fairness and balance. It also asked for comment on whether the publication had breached the Standard of Practice requiring reasonable steps to ensure that a correction or other adequate remedial action is provided.
The publication said the original statement that Mr Hird had been removed was from a reliable source but it gradually became clear that circumstances had subsequently changed at Essendon. After several hours, the headline was changed to read “James Hird will be removed as Essendon coach in coming days”.
Corresponding changes were made in an update to the accompanying article.
The publication said the error was “one of timing” resulting from an extremely fast-moving story which it was “adjusting through the day”. It also said it addressed the online error in its next print edition on 3 October by a front page article headlined “Day of execution becomes stay of execution” and a rear page article “Hird axing delayed”. In addition, there was a follow-up piece headed “Essendon still pointing fingers” on 4 October, in which the journalist wrote that she “regrettably reported wrongly that Hird had already been removed […b]ut the firm belief remains that Hird will not coach Essendon again”.
Conclusions
The publication conceded that the headline on 2 October was inaccurate. The article concerned a matter of widespread interest and considerable importance within the AFL community. Accordingly, it was necessary to be especially rigorous before making the statement, or to make a more qualified and less emphatic statement.
The Council concludes that reasonable steps were not taken to justify a report that the removal had already occurred. The Council concludes that its Standard of Practice relating to accuracy was breached in this respect.
The Council’s Standards also require that reasonable steps be taken to publish a correction or take other adequate remedial action where published material is significantly inaccurate or misleading. While the correction in the article of 4 October was insufficiently prominent on its own to meet the Standards, the publication promptly updated the online version of the story, and the headline in the print version of 3 October left no doubt amongst readers that Mr Hird had not in fact been removed as coach. Given the steps taken by the publication, the Council is not satisfied that the publication failed to take reasonable steps to provide adequate remedial action and accordingly, there was no breach in this respect.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/press-council-adjudication-20150505-ggv2e7#ixzz4DVwPRbIC
Follow us: @theage on Twitter | theageAustralia on Facebook

9

Meh, bad umpiring happens in all sports, to all teams at one time or another. Suck it up and wait your turn to get the run of the luck when it comes.

10

You had me at proposal

11

Umpires, like everyone else, like to see fast free flowing football because the game is so ugly. I don’t blame them favouring the top sides because they look good. We don’t.
I’d do the same thing.
I like Chelsea the goal umpire btw.

12
..... I like Chelsea the goal umpire btw.
Agree. Would be happy to see her umpire both ends' goals. And midfield at the same time.
13

No.

14

I doubt anyone at AFL headquarters can read.

15

<a href=http://yoursmiles.org/t-agressive.php?page=2>

^^ End result, I’d say.

16

Unless it’s a thorough dissection of every game and every team, with a team of analysts looking at degrees of uncertainty, location of frees, number of frees etc. they will just think you’re a whinger.

And if you do go ahead with a thorough scientific analysis, we’ll all feel like maybe you need another hobby or some time in a padded room.

Umpiring is something the AFL has everyone by the balls over. There’s nothing you can do.

17

Just tell me what the hashtag is and I’ll post it on Twitter and sit back comfortably knowing I did all I could.

18
Unless it's a thorough dissection of every game and every team, with a team of analysts looking at degrees of uncertainty, location of frees, number of frees etc. they will just think you're a whinger.

And if you do go ahead with a thorough scientific analysis, we’ll all feel like maybe you need another hobby or some time in a padded room.

Umpiring is something the AFL has everyone by the balls over. There’s nothing you can do.

Sadly yes this is probably the biggest roadblock.

19
Just tell me what the hashtag is and I'll post it on Twitter and sit back comfortably knowing I did all I could.

#UmpiresAreLizardPeople
#DoYourResearch

20
Yes I think alcohol is the only viable option in this situation. All the effort for no response or some cookie cutter response that each decision made on its merits blah blah. I think this year poor decisions have stood out so much more because all is it takes is a few to finish us off. Our list at present needs all the help it can get and a missed free in front of goal rebound goal opposition can be enough to snuff us out and open the flood gates. You then end up looking at that decision as the single factor to the lose. If it was our normal list we would have the skill, experience etc to counter that and not make that free the game changer.

I spent all this time dealing with the Australian broadcast commission when c Wilson ran the headline Hird removed as coach but he wasn’t. In summary Wilson breached multiple guidelines etc but nothing to see here. I implore you to read below on the finding as it will blow your mind and make you realise how ridiculous governing bodies are in enforcing standards. Then keep in mind the afl can do wtf they want. It’s a bit of long read below but well worth it and after reading it twice your left sctracthing your head.

Go dons onward and upward.

To Whom It May Concern,
RE: The Age, “James Hird removed as Essendon coach”, 2 October 2014
I write in relation to your complaint about the aforementioned item.
As with yours, we received a number of complaints from persons not personally identified or directly affected by the material, so this was treated as a secondary matter: www.presscouncil.org.au/reception-of-complaints/.
Please note the matter proceeded to an adjudication, and the Adjudication Panel partly upheld the complaints.
I now write to inform you the full outcome is published today, both on the Press Council’s website (for instance, at: www.presscouncil.org.au/document-search/adj-1638/) and that of the publication (for instance, at: www.theage.com.au/victoria/press-council-adjudication-20150506-ggv2e7.html).
Thank you for raising the matter for our attention, which has now been concluded, and for your patience throughout the process.
Yours Sincerely,
| Complaints and Compliance Officer

APC logo
The Press Council has considered whether its Standards of Practice were breached by online reporting in The Age on 2 October 2014 relating to James Hird, coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
On 2 October, a headline “James Hird removed as Essendon coach” was posted on the homepage of the publication. It was linked to an article supporting the statement in the headline, however Mr Hird was not in fact removed and continued to be the coach.
Advertisement

After receiving complaints, the Council asked the publication to comment on whether the material in its original form breached its Standards of Practice requiring reasonable steps to be taken to ensure accuracy, fairness and balance. It also asked for comment on whether the publication had breached the Standard of Practice requiring reasonable steps to ensure that a correction or other adequate remedial action is provided.
The publication said the original statement that Mr Hird had been removed was from a reliable source but it gradually became clear that circumstances had subsequently changed at Essendon. After several hours, the headline was changed to read “James Hird will be removed as Essendon coach in coming days”.
Corresponding changes were made in an update to the accompanying article.
The publication said the error was “one of timing” resulting from an extremely fast-moving story which it was “adjusting through the day”. It also said it addressed the online error in its next print edition on 3 October by a front page article headlined “Day of execution becomes stay of execution” and a rear page article “Hird axing delayed”. In addition, there was a follow-up piece headed “Essendon still pointing fingers” on 4 October, in which the journalist wrote that she “regrettably reported wrongly that Hird had already been removed […b]ut the firm belief remains that Hird will not coach Essendon again”.
Conclusions
The publication conceded that the headline on 2 October was inaccurate. The article concerned a matter of widespread interest and considerable importance within the AFL community. Accordingly, it was necessary to be especially rigorous before making the statement, or to make a more qualified and less emphatic statement.
The Council concludes that reasonable steps were not taken to justify a report that the removal had already occurred. The Council concludes that its Standard of Practice relating to accuracy was breached in this respect.
The Council’s Standards also require that reasonable steps be taken to publish a correction or take other adequate remedial action where published material is significantly inaccurate or misleading. While the correction in the article of 4 October was insufficiently prominent on its own to meet the Standards, the publication promptly updated the online version of the story, and the headline in the print version of 3 October left no doubt amongst readers that Mr Hird had not in fact been removed as coach. Given the steps taken by the publication, the Council is not satisfied that the publication failed to take reasonable steps to provide adequate remedial action and accordingly, there was no breach in this respect.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/press-council-adjudication-20150505-ggv2e7#ixzz4DVwPRbIC
Follow us: @theage on Twitter | theageAustralia on Facebook

Sorry, but I’m not surprised at all, its why I don’t buy or read the newspapers anymore, I never bought the Sun and stopped reading the Age over a decade ago.