This game definitely springs to mind of the worst, most biased umpired games I’ve seen as well. Like you said, because we won it was probably forgotten about by lots of people but my God that was horrendous.
This was the worst I’ve seen from a non-essendon game and i don’t think I’ve ever seen another game quite to clearly rigged as this one
7 Likes
I actually reckon that game did Demps head in, he was never the same happy fella…always had a cranky look whenever umpires were around
Great commentary. Atleast they spoke their mind. They would lose their accreditation these days.
3 Likes
I was only 5 years old, so I had no intellect at the time to call the umpires cheats… but the 1990 grand final.
For some reason I watched it a few years ago (must have been on Fox footy or something). As someone who barely remembers the game, and Has hardly any emotional attachment to it… just watching this replay was making me sick.
I’m sure I’ve seen much worse, but interms of the stakes… it’s easily the worst. IMO cost Essendon the match, because we completely lost any momentum and then started punching on in frustration.
1 Like
Need to add North Melbourne aswell. Especially when that fcking cheat Lindsay Thomas was playing for them. One of the biggest cnts to ever play AFL football.
An absolute disgrace of a player.
2 Likes
That was the one that sprung to mind when I first saw the thread title.
I remember one of the Roccas getting a free for over the shoulder, right in front of goal. The replay showed that not only did the player next to him make no contact whatsoever, but also that player next to him was a Collingwood player.
2 Likes
That game hurt, we were a genuine chance, up at half time and i reckon they lost heart due to the umpires. Final count ess 13 gws 24 frees
1 Like
The most furious I’ve been at the umpires, was the match where Panell got stretchered off the ground.
That was a disgraceful umpiring performance. Funnily enough, the umpiring seemed to improve when he got knocked out.
4 Likes
For games I’ve actually attended, the Port Nicholls debacle is the worst I’ve seen.
Next week
I have never been able to bring myself to watch a replay of that GF, so I can’t comment, except to say that it was an extremely disappointing day.
My memory was that the 1990 semi final a couple of weeks earlier, also against Collingwood was even worse for umpiring. It didn’t help that after finishing the H&A season on top, we had to sit around for an extra week waiting for Coll & WC to replay their final as they had a draw in the first week (thanks Peter Sumich). I was losing my ■■■■ and John Jost from ABC TV (Collingwood supporter) was sitting in front of me and I don’t think he was very impressed, haha.
1 Like
Don’t name the umpire.
I used to love seeing Sheeds send the Captain over to talk to the umpires at the breaks if there’d been a few incorrect decisions.
I reckon Gary O’Donnell did it a couple of times.
Who knows if it actually made a difference, but at least as a fan you could see the club taking action.
1 Like
I think I remember seeing Matthew Lloyd doing that once. Or maybe it was Jobe. Possibly both (?)
Maybe we ought to be doing it again.
1 Like
I think Jobe was the last Essendon Captain to do this and by memory, he copped a fine.
I’d happily pay the fine if Truck would send Hurles out at quarter time to request a please explain.
2 Likes
At Optus?
I was there and had a guy in front of me going nuts over the umpiring and he was a WC fan! I was yelling out that their highest possession winner was the free kick count and he started boiling, his girlfriend had to do the arm on his leg move to calm him down.
That’s when I knew I had him and just kept twisting the knife by saying it over and over and over and watching him get madder and madder. One of my favorite memories 
3 Likes
■■■■ that one had me livid
2019 Anzac Day. im amazed there wasn’t a full on pitch invade that day. i have never seen a group of supporters so angry.
i can fully invision the day a supporter runs onto the ground and spear tackles a umpire. then they will start a go fund me and the AFL public will probably raise a million bucks for him
1 Like
i was there, i drove down from sydney and all i wanted was a win. The drive home with my dad was very quiet. That was probably the most angry iv been and everyone else around me. When we were leaving the MCG you could feel it in the air so much anger and you could just hear ppl continuously saying “fucken bull-sht man” guaranteed a couple fights happened that night lol
1 Like