Umpire farce - Getting worse by the minute!

[Nico]

This.

If they admitted there were mistakes there would be a lot more respect for umpires. It isn't an easy game to adjudicate but there are some absolute howlers every week in all games which they should own up to. I'm sure behind closed doors they do talk about this, but the complete unwillingness to concede that errors are ever made just makes it all worse.

Umpires should be full time and there should be oversight from outside AFL House.

DS

Coming out and admitting mistakes shows character and quickly diffuses any angst. Bullshi!!ing on the other hand...

 

[CarnTheTiges]

It's almost like they cannot admit to making mistakes. I reckon they'd get more respect from the fans if they just admitted when they *smile* up.

95% of commentators/players/fans think they should have stopped the play. To actually come out and tick it off and then double down and state there was no stop in play to allow them to pause the game is ludicrous. It diminishes what little integrity they have.

They can’t admit to making mistakes. I’d say it’s a clear directive from the AFL. Do not ever admit that you were wrong. They clearly see it as a sign of weakness.

 

[MD Jazz]

Something like that could have been used in the insane application of the dissent rule in the first 8 weeks. Could have sorted that out MUCH earlier using an arbitrator rather than waiting for the pathetic AFL to covertly relent without telling anyone.

This is the issue, the covert changes that are never communicated but become obvoious after a few games.

Like the Sidebottom play on call last week when he was taking his alloted 30 sec. The umpire stated they have been instructed to not allow players to milk the 30 second clock. Since when? So all of a sudden you get 30 seconds except when the umpires decide you don't? So another objective application to the most black and white and measurable rule they have - the *smile* countdown is on the scorebaord! You either get 30 seconds or you don't.

Is this another, "common sense" approach to umpiring?

An independent overseer is a must.

 

[tigersnake]

They can’t admit to making mistakes. I’d say it’s a clear directive from the AFL. Do not ever admit that you were wrong. They clearly see it as a sign of weakness.

Or as an admission of liability.

 

[Sintiger]

Free kick differential stats out today: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/27/the-2022-free-kick-ladder-after-round-15/

Not only is this somewhat surprising (I actually thought we were getting a bit of a better run from the umps in some games this year), but it seems to be getting worse year on year.
These numbers represent a staggering statistical outlier that defies logical analysis.
Not only is our differential the worst - we have the least free kicks for, AND the most against, our differential is 2.5 times worse than the second worst AND it is worse than the next three worst combined. Extraordinary.

Some potential explanations:
1. There is indeed a concerted campaign against us by the AFL. While we all like to champion this one, any serious analysis has to refute it outright - too many people would have to know, it would eventually come out, and there would be hell to pay.
2. Umpires are responding negatively to individual players.
3. We are just not very good (obviously not the case).
4. As a team strategy, we deliberately "push the envelope" further than most teams. This would reflect how Hardwick played the game himself. And the way Pickett tackles, I get the impression his attitude is "I'm going to get done for this anyway, I might as well make him earn it".

I suspect it's mostly 4 with a smattering of 2.

Noone should be surprised because it has been the same since 2017. It would interesting to see the ladder 2017-22 (wish LTRTR was here).
From memory we have been 18th every year since 2017 except 2019 when we were 17th behind (ironically) GWS.
Leaving aside conspiracy theories I would have thought that the club would be in their rights to ask why. Not in an accusatory way but that this is trend which has to have an explanation and we would like to understand from the AFL and the umpires what that explanation is. I would be surprised if that hasn't been done although if it has been it hasn't made any difference

 

[AngryAnt]

Free kick differential stats out today: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/27/the-2022-free-kick-ladder-after-round-15/

Not only is this somewhat surprising (I actually thought we were getting a bit of a better run from the umps in some games this year), but it seems to be getting worse year on year.
These numbers represent a staggering statistical outlier that defies logical analysis.
Not only is our differential the worst - we have the least free kicks for, AND the most against, our differential is 2.5 times worse than the second worst AND it is worse than the next three worst combined. Extraordinary.

Some potential explanations:
1. There is indeed a concerted campaign against us by the AFL. While we all like to champion this one, any serious analysis has to refute it outright - too many people would have to know, it would eventually come out, and there would be hell to pay.
2. Umpires are responding negatively to individual players.
3. We are just not very good (obviously not the case).
4. As a team strategy, we deliberately "push the envelope" further than most teams. This would reflect how Hardwick played the game himself. And the way Pickett tackles, I get the impression his attitude is "I'm going to get done for this anyway, I might as well make him earn it".

I suspect it's mostly 4 with a smattering of 2.

bravo bellisimo

 

[CarnTheTiges]

Noone should be surprised because it has been the same since 2017. It would interesting to see the ladder 2017-22 (wish LTRTR was here).
From memory we have been 18th every year since 2017 except 2019 when we were 17th behind (ironically) GWS.
Leaving aside conspiracy theories I would have thought that the club would be in their rights to ask why. Not in an accusatory way but that this is trend which has to have an explanation and we would like to understand from the AFL and the umpires what that explanation is. I would be surprised if that hasn't been done although if it has been it hasn't made any difference

They can ask, possibly they already have, but can’t do it publicly, otherwise the AFL and their pack of media attack dogs will go on the offensive. If they ask privately they’ll just be fobbed off as the AFL do with everything and anyone that dares to question them.

 

[Little Ziggyadee]

Some of the umpires are just poor at what they do - it's as simple as that.
Number 12 made so many mistakes and not for the first time. Most of them are the same.
The umps should be full time professionals where the pay itself attracts the very best.

The umpires these days are shocking
It's as if they have never umpired a game before.

 

[eddazol]

The umpires these days are shocking
It's as if they have never umpired a game before.

No commonsense

 

[Coburgtiger]

Free kick differential stats out today: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/06/27/the-2022-free-kick-ladder-after-round-15/

Not only is this somewhat surprising (I actually thought we were getting a bit of a better run from the umps in some games this year), but it seems to be getting worse year on year.
These numbers represent a staggering statistical outlier that defies logical analysis.
Not only is our differential the worst - we have the least free kicks for, AND the most against, our differential is 2.5 times worse than the second worst AND it is worse than the next three worst combined. Extraordinary.

Some potential explanations:
1. There is indeed a concerted campaign against us by the AFL. While we all like to champion this one, any serious analysis has to refute it outright - too many people would have to know, it would eventually come out, and there would be hell to pay.
2. Umpires are responding negatively to individual players.
3. We are just not very good (obviously not the case).
4. As a team strategy, we deliberately "push the envelope" further than most teams. This would reflect how Hardwick played the game himself. And the way Pickett tackles, I get the impression his attitude is "I'm going to get done for this anyway, I might as well make him earn it".

I suspect it's mostly 4 with a smattering of 2.

There is no reason, on our end, why we should be awarded so few free kicks.

The only explanation is bias. Whether toward the club, the individuals, the colour of our Guernsey, or something more sinister.

 

[TigerForce]

There is no reason, on our end, why we should be awarded so few free kicks.

The only explanation is bias. Whether toward the club, the individuals, the colour of our Guernsey, or something more sinister.

Hey Coburg, how's life in Merri-bek...

 

[DavidSSS]

Noone should be surprised because it has been the same since 2017. It would interesting to see the ladder 2017-22 (wish LTRTR was here).
From memory we have been 18th every year since 2017 except 2019 when we were 17th behind (ironically) GWS.
Leaving aside conspiracy theories I would have thought that the club would be in their rights to ask why. Not in an accusatory way but that this is trend which has to have an explanation and we would like to understand from the AFL and the umpires what that explanation is. I would be surprised if that hasn't been done although if it has been it hasn't made any difference

Ask and you shall receive!

The whole ladder for all of 2017 to 2022 would be very large so I'll just put in Richmond's position on the free kick ladder according to free kick differential (note this includes finals):
2017: 18th -2.36
2018: 18th -5.08
2019: 13th -1.16
2020: 17th -3.33
2021: 18th -3.86
2022: 18th -5.07 to end of Round 15 so 14 games for each team.

Hey, we're the opposite of Footscray who have had the most favourable free kick differential in 4 of the last 6 years.

Over the period from 2017 to the last round we have a free kick differential of -3.33, the only club with a negative free kick differential worse than -1.58. It isn't even close, the free kick differential for 2017 to end of Round 15 2022 looks like this:

Team	Games	Free Kick Differential per Game
Adelaide	122	+1.55
Brisbane	125	+0.54
Carlton	119	+0.38
Collingwood	127	+2.54
Essendon	122	-0.95
Fremantle	119	-0.30
Geelong	133	+0.17
Gold Coast	119	-0.17
Greater Western Sydney	130	-1.58
Hawthorn	121	-1.29
Melbourne	125	-0.13
North Melbourne	119	+1.50
Port Adelaide	124	-0.02
Richmond	131	-3.33
StKilda	121	-1.15
Sydney	123	-1.18
West Coast	127	+0.98
Western Bulldogs	125	+2.89

It really is glaring, our free kick differential is more than double the next least favoured team, GWS.

I just can't see how one team is supposedly that much worse at giving away free kicks over 5 and a half years, and that every week the same team's opposition consistently give away less free kicks, every week, no matter who we play against, year after year.

Our average frees for per game since the start of 2017 is 17.65, no other team receives less than 18 frees for per game (Hawthorn closest with 18.02). We play against angels every week, but they are only angels when they play Richmond. We also give away the most free kicks per game of any team at 20.98, which is less of a discrepancy as there are 3 teams with an average of over 20 free kicks conceded per game, the closest being Sydney with 20.43.

Its B*llsh!t.

DS

 

[Little Ziggyadee]

This is where we are at with these knuckle heads.
Lachie Neale tries to fend off a Footscary player, gets caught Plum free kick to Footscary, NO '2ND ACTION WENT HIGH FREE' what about the 1st action of being caught with the ball. I watched 5 mins of 2nd qtr and switched channels.
Can't watch that shiit every single time.
The sooner the clown Gilligan Fkoffs the better.
Brothers of coaches are running the AFL football dept (and don't give me they DONT talk about football)
X administrators like Hocking can sign for a club but still work in the AFL at the same time.
This is beyond fked

 

[HR]

Holding the ball got tackled at hips, then dropped to ankles a clear trip but no holding the ball. Shot at goal. Can't remember who but it was against WB.
Why is it so that most tackles for high start low and get paid for the second action after eight shrugged high but this was the opposite.
I know why! Because the AFL play the game that suits their agenda. It was another great example of how far up their own arses the AFL really is lastnight.

 

[tigertim]

I still say “too high” should be ABOVE the shoulder (ie neck and head) and not OVER the shoulder, that’d knock out a lot of those soft and silly frees.

 

[Stackey]

I still say “too high” should be ABOVE the shoulder (ie neck and head) and not OVER the shoulder, that’d knock out a lot of those soft and silly frees.

 

[Harry]

Noone should be surprised because it has been the same since 2017. It would interesting to see the ladder 2017-22 (wish LTRTR was here).
From memory we have been 18th every year since 2017 except 2019 when we were 17th behind (ironically) GWS.
Leaving aside conspiracy theories I would have thought that the club would be in their rights to ask why. Not in an accusatory way but that this is trend which has to have an explanation and we would like to understand from the AFL and the umpires what that explanation is. I would be surprised if that hasn't been done although if it has been it hasn't made any difference

Free kick Ladder - 2017 to 2022

Club	For	Against	Diff	Yr Ave
Western Bulldogs	2,508	2,148	360​	60.0
Collingwood	2,470	2,149	321​	29.7
Adelaide	2,429	2,244	185​	30.8
North Melbourne	2,401	2,223	178​	29.7
West Coast	2,413	2,290	123​	20.5
Brisbane Lions	2,526	2,461	65​	10.8
Carlton	2,371	2,328	43​	7.2
Geelong	2,586	2,567	19​	3.2
Port Adelaide	2,416	2,421	-5​	- 0.8
Melbourne	2,364	2,381	-17​	- 2.8
Gold Coast	2,252	2,277	-25​	- 4.2
Fremantle	2,187	2,222	-35​	- 5.8
Essendon	2,212	2,329	-117​	- 19.5
St Kilda	2,187	2,327	-140​	- 23.3
Sydney	2,369	2,512	-143​	- 23.8
Hawthorn	2,179	2,336	-157​	- 26.2
Greater Western Sydney	2,403	2,618	-215​	- 35.8
Richmond	2,311	2,751	-440​	- 73.3

 

[Little Ziggyadee]

Free kick Ladder - 2017 to 2022

Club	For	Against	Diff	Yr Ave
Western Bulldogs	2,508	2,148	360​	60.0
Collingwood	2,470	2,149	321​	29.7
Adelaide	2,429	2,244	185​	30.8
North Melbourne	2,401	2,223	178​	29.7
West Coast	2,413	2,290	123​	20.5
Brisbane Lions	2,526	2,461	65​	10.8
Carlton	2,371	2,328	43​	7.2
Geelong	2,586	2,567	19​	3.2
Port Adelaide	2,416	2,421	-5​	- 0.8
Melbourne	2,364	2,381	-17​	- 2.8
Gold Coast	2,252	2,277	-25​	- 4.2
Fremantle	2,187	2,222	-35​	- 5.8
Essendon	2,212	2,329	-117​	- 19.5
St Kilda	2,187	2,327	-140​	- 23.3
Sydney	2,369	2,512	-143​	- 23.8
Hawthorn	2,179	2,336	-157​	- 26.2
Greater Western Sydney	2,403	2,618	-215​	- 35.8
Richmond	2,311	2,751	-440​	- 73.3

Do we get priority when it comes to selecting the turds?

At worse they can give us the honour of selecting the ones that will bend us over.

 

[TigerForce]

Good umpiring from the flogs today. We won 20-16 which shows how we are better when figures are not skewed.

 

[tigertim]

Good umpiring from the flogs today. We won 20-16 which shows how we are better when figures are not skewed.

I had a WCE mate message me during the game "it'd be a good game if the umpires weren't giving Richmond an arm chair ride"!