Umpire farce - Getting worse by the minute!

[gehring]

All right the elephant in the room.
After accusing the umpires of bias and amateurism for the last 4+ years (backed by numerous statistics) I must now accept that it is a problem within the RFC!
We give away too many frees with bad technique and are very undisciplined. It does not appear to be a priority for the coaches. Case in point was the VFL on the weekend, at least 4 fifty metre penalties and an extreme lopsided free count. Giving away nearly 40 frees is like playing against an extra player or two. I would go so far as to say it was a big factor in our loss to Box Hill. Is it technique also why we are not paid frees?
We can continue to ask why with no change, but its time to implement a solution.

 

[waiting]

…

 

[TOT70]

One day, we will receive 30 free kicks and the oppo will get 10.

It will be sweet.

 

[The Big Richo]

We can continue to ask why with no change, but its time to implement a solution.

I agree with most of your post Gehring, but not this part.

No doubt our free kick tallies reflect things in the way we go about the game. We value mania over control, allow extras at contests and have to cover them and there's some other stuff about possession numbers, contested and uncontested numbers and various other pieces.

Putting aside the 50 metres penalties, they hurt and we don't like or accept them, I don't think we will bother changing anytime soon because it is such a non-issue.

Despite the 609 pages of bleating about it, the truth is the umpires have stuff-all influence on the game. The nonsense that is the free kick differential might account for a dozen extra possessions in a game out of 6 or 700.

We won three premierships and finished 3rd with poor free kick returns which shows just how much it matters. A quick look at the top 4 teams in free kicks for so far this season shows 3 of them aren't in the 8. Frees against 3 out of 4 are in there and the 4th soon will be.

The reason we don't address it is it just doesn't matter that much.

 

[King Kong]

One day, we will receive 30 free kicks and the oppo will get 10.

It will be sweet.

Yeah when we are 2 wins and 10 losses and a lock for bottom 4.

 

[Sintiger]

I'd actually argue it's a lot easier for players. I think most fans are more emotionally invested, and players have a lot more on their minds than umpires.

I’m sure you would

 

[shad]

I'd actually argue it's a lot easier for players. I think most fans are more emotionally invested, and players have a lot more on their minds than umpires.

I think you are overlooking the fact that some players are playing for their careers.

 

[RoarEmotion]

The way I look at it is when I am watching a game how hard is it for me to not respond at all to any decision made? It is incredibly hard and for a player on the field it is much harder.
Try it, watch a game and not respond to any decision.
That’s what we are asking players to do .

It’s not, not respond or not have emotions.

It’s to chose what you do with your emotions and how you direct that energy.

Basically you are saying if something upsets you badly enough, then you have no free will other than to direct frustration and anger at what upset you.

I actually enjoy raging at umpires sometimes - it’s part of the fun of footy in a way. But when I play a sport if I know the umpire is has a bit of a dictator bent then I don’t do it, even if I think it’s the worst decision In history of sport. It’s a choice. But I will *smile* about it after the game with my teammates.

 

[Sintiger]

It’s not, not respond or not have emotions.

It’s to chose what you do with your emotions and how you direct that energy.

Basically you are saying if something upsets you badly enough, then you have no free will other than to direct frustration and anger at what upset you.

I actually enjoy raging at umpires sometimes - it’s part of the fun of footy in a way. But when I play a sport if I know the umpire is has a bit of a dictator bent then I don’t do it, even if I think it’s the worst decision In history of sport. It’s a choice. But I will *smile* about it after the game with my teammates.

I could accept your answer if we were talking about real abuse and dissent, but we aren’t.
I am talking about reactions that are not aggressive at all, actually quite restrained. Like DeGoey’s last week, or Dusty’s against the pies. I am not saying showing anger is acceptable
I have consistently said I have no issue with penalising abuse or aggressive dissent. It is the immediate, really minor stuff that is farcical. We will be banning raising eyebrows or looking confused soon!

 

[Little Ziggyadee]

Gilligan will leave as the game is on its knees.
Stop BLaming covid Clowns. Spend one day at Westfield or Chaddie its packed.
The New Rules, standard of umpiring, no bumping, the game style.
It's ruined the game. People have had enough. Maybe Gilligan could plsy the GF at Burnley Oval, that fits 2000 people comfortably

 

[Stackey]

It’s not, not respond or not have emotions.

It’s to chose what you do with your emotions and how you direct that energy.

Basically you are saying if something upsets you badly enough, then you have no free will other than to direct frustration and anger at what upset you.

I actually enjoy raging at umpires sometimes - it’s part of the fun of footy in a way. But when I play a sport if I know the umpire is has a bit of a dictator bent then I don’t do it, even if I think it’s the worst decision In history of sport. It’s a choice. But I will *smile* about it after the game with my teammates.

If your totally invested in the game, your never sure what's going to be your reactions to an ump's subjective call.

 

[graystar1]

One day, we will receive 30 free kicks and the oppo will get 10.

It will be sweet.

yes, and on that day pigs will get to fly.

 

[RoarEmotion]

If your totally invested in the game, your never sure what's going to be your reactions to an ump's subjective call.

If you lack emotional intelligence in those moments I agree. If you have great self control and awareness you couldn’t be farther from the truth (with the current rule) otherwise every player would be randomly losing their mind and giving away 50s / or no one on the field is invested.

We can probably both agree the way this rule is being adjudicated is farcical though.

 

[Stackey]

If you lack emotional intelligence in those moments I agree. If you have great self control and awareness you couldn’t be farther from the truth (with the current rule) otherwise every player would be randomly losing their mind and giving away 50s / or no one on the field is invested.

We can probably both agree the way this rule is being adjudicated is farcical though.

We are talking footballers here?!? Right?! Playing in a highly charged physical game against other footballers/umpire.
Not Einstein scholars. Not Mother Theresa's. Nor perfect playing robots.
Like I previously posted if your totally involved your never sure what is going to be your reaction to an Ump's subjective call.
Emotional intelligence from a testosterone fuelled adolescent of 18 years old in a highly charged physical game?! Good luck!

 

[mrposhman]

If you lack emotional intelligence in those moments I agree. If you have great self control and awareness you couldn’t be farther from the truth (with the current rule) otherwise every player would be randomly losing their mind and giving away 50s / or no one on the field is invested.

We can probably both agree the way this rule is being adjudicated is farcical though.

Its not emotional intelligence issues though, we are asking the players to be robots.

 

[mrposhman]

Gilligan will leave as the game is on its knees.
Stop BLaming covid Clowns. Spend one day at Westfield or Chaddie its packed.
The New Rules, standard of umpiring, no bumping, the game style.
It's ruined the game. People have had enough. Maybe Gilligan could plsy the GF at Burnley Oval, that fits 2000 people comfortably View attachment 15436

As usual the AFL will not ask the fans why they aren't showing up, they will just assume that their narrative is what is occurring. Geez there are a lot of similarities between how inward looking the AFL are, compared to how Russia are disseminating information to their citizens. This is what we want to tell you what is happening, we don't care about truth, this is out truth and its the narrative we will stick to.

 

[RoarEmotion]

We are talking footballers here?!? Right?! Playing in a highly charged physical game against other footballers/umpire.
Not Einstein scholars. Not Mother Theresa's. Nor perfect playing robots.
Like I previously posted if your totally involved your never sure what is going to be your reaction to an Ump's subjective call.
Emotional intelligence from a testosterone fuelled adolescent of 18 years old in a highly charged physical game?! Good luck!

I don’t disagree thet all players at a young age will be be able to control themselves The average age of an AFL player I’m sure is mid 20s and by the time most are regular players they have had a few years in the system and access to elite resources.

The ones that go early and young - probably are pretty high on EQ already to be disciplined enough to dedicate themselves to footy. Eg cotchin / gibcus. The freak talents are probably the ones a little less disciplined - Eg Bolton

Anyway the rule is screwed - who cares if someone screams out in frustration - the umps need some massive EQ training too IMO. Make then more resilient instead of putting it all on the players. This would be setting a good example and generate respect. Razor would be one who just acts like a petulant dictator.

And to agree with your point plenty of kids play the game so the expectation set on a 15 year old is crap. They need an ump telling them to Pull their head in first.

 

[Ridley]

One day, we will receive 30 free kicks and the oppo will get 10.

It will be sweet.

Yeah. And then oppo fans will be bitching and moaning about how Richmond are always favoured by the umpires. Even though we've been last on the free kick differential ladder for 10 years in a row.

 

[gehring]

I agree with most of your post Gehring, but not this part.

No doubt our free kick tallies reflect things in the way we go about the game. We value mania over control, allow extras at contests and have to cover them and there's some other stuff about possession numbers, contested and uncontested numbers and various other pieces.

Putting aside the 50 metres penalties, they hurt and we don't like or accept them, I don't think we will bother changing anytime soon because it is such a non-issue.

Despite the 609 pages of bleating about it, the truth is the umpires have stuff-all influence on the game. The nonsense that is the free kick differential might account for a dozen extra possessions in a game out of 6 or 700.

We won three premierships and finished 3rd with poor free kick returns which shows just how much it matters. A quick look at the top 4 teams in free kicks for so far this season shows 3 of them aren't in the 8. Frees against 3 out of 4 are in there and the 4th soon will be.

The reason we don't address it is it just doesn't matter that much.

Glad you agree that it is a RFC initiated phenomenon. It might not have mattered when we were winning with a clearly superior team but now it clearly (in my mind) is a factor that can influence an outcome. A cursory look at last weeks game will confirm that at least three 'gimme' goals for us were negated by umpiring decisions. Right or wrong umpiring decisions do impact on the game and the more the 'differential' the bigger the impact. "it doesn't matter much" nor does poor disposal, dropping marks, 50 metre brain fades etc. they all add up to the difference between winning and losing, more so when we have a declining team. It is fixable so fix it.

 

[MD Jazz]

Gilligan will leave as the game is on its knees.
Stop BLaming covid Clowns. Spend one day at Westfield or Chaddie its packed.
The New Rules, standard of umpiring, no bumping, the game style.
It's ruined the game. People have had enough. Maybe Gilligan could plsy the GF at Burnley Oval, that fits 2000 people comfortably View attachment 15436

Good point about crowds being back almost everywhere else. Traffic is certainly back to normal.

And outdoor environments have proven to be extremely low risk when it comes to covid so not fear of covid is keeping people away.

The ridiculous rule changes and sanitisation of the game are at the core of the issue.