Back where we belong
View attachment 11905
I grew up in the era of watch Peter (perfect) Hudson play
this was a long time ago , I was primary school age so my recollections maybe be distorted
but it seemed so unjust it etched in my mind
this day out at Waverly, Barry Richardson was giving him a bath ? 1 goal to half time, that was very rare
On the stroke of half time Hudson let him fly for a mark and hit him with a punch in the kidneys
and he did it with every once of energy he cause muster
Richardson was a basket case and stretchered off in immensese pain
I'm pretty sure the field umpire saw but was 200% sure the goal umpire saw it
the crowd were yelling at him to report Hudson , my recollection was he was embarrassed , but he didn't report Peter perfect
roll forward to more current times and Ablett Jnr was untouchable and not only showered with free it took 3 reportable incidents in 4 weeks before he was rubbed out
both Hudson & Ablett jnr were born in the free kick tree
for what ever reason Richmond players aren't and that graphic is the 5th year in a row we sit at the bottom of that table
Richo would carry on like a pork chop and hardly got a free
Jack similar but he has pulled his head in and now gets some frees (take it )
for what ever reason Lynch gets a lot of soft frees , very un Richmond like , did he earn the pitty of the umps at the GC ?
Dusty , after his brownlow , it was like someone flicked a switch , he started getting frees , often when he's down forward , just a tug on the jumper and the whistle blows
I don't know what causes the bias against , we haven't played dirty or really on the edge
But when your side is down its all too easy to blame the umpires and abuse them , and all clubs , all levels of footy , players do it
Trouble is some of the umps have huge egos , think Razor Ray , get under their skin and you'll pay for it for years
Did we have some guys who were too sharp with the tongue back in the 2000-2010 period ?
I'm hoping like hell , that our good behavouir continues the reasons to be against us fade and we rise to the middle of the pack