Umpire farce - Getting worse by the minute! | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
  • IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.

Umpire farce - Getting worse by the minute!

Ossie

Tiger Matchwinner
Apr 15, 2012
786
574
Stevic, O'Gorman and Gavine are our umps this week. O'Gorman seems to be getting plenty of Tigers games this year!
 

Ossie

Tiger Matchwinner
Apr 15, 2012
786
574
So given it has been widely accepted that there is an AFL and umpire led conspiracy to prevent Richmond having success by manipulating free kick counts, we can only assume that campaign now sees Geelong as a bigger threat and is focussed on them.

I'm sure there will be no shortage of PRE posters ready to join me in demanding a fairer go for Geelong from the umpires, a necessary piece of bipartisan support to maintain football's integrity.
I think the Cats have exchanged their free kick vouchers for MRP vouchers :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

DavidSSS

Tiger Legend
Dec 11, 2017
10,525
17,883
Melbourne
I thought they had both vouchers, and in abundance.

I'll leave defending Geelong against the maggots to their supporters. I do notice, despite their diving ways (yeah, all players milk for frees, but, really, Geelong need to make it a little more subtle) they have never been particularly well treated by the umps on a free kick difference basis - for that see Collingwood, Footscray and West Coast.

I've never said there is a conspiracy but the free kick counts do persist for many years and the inconsistency has got a lot worse.

I still blame the idea we should somehow have less free kicks in a game of Australian Rules Football - if the free is there, pay it. Having less frees as a KPI just leads to inconsistent adjudication, and with professional teams this means they will weigh up the probability of getting pinged for an infraction and push it as far as it can be exploited. I must say Collingwood have certainly learned that throwing is a rule you can break with impunity, they chuck it around all the time and give away a free here and there.

DS
 

AngryAnt

Tiger Legend
Nov 25, 2004
27,017
14,794
Said it before and I'll say it again - our pressure game style means we'll concede more frees than we win. I don't care, I'd prefer to win games than the free kick count.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

LeeToRainesToRoach

Tiger Legend
Jun 4, 2006
33,186
11,546
Melbourne
Said it before and I'll say it again - our pressure game style means we'll concede more frees than we win. I don't care, I'd prefer to win games than the free kick count.

A lot of truth in that. For the most part we've been too busy winning to complain. But the incidence of neutrals who actually believe we get a charmed run from umpires and that it's a component of our success is surprisingly high.

I perceive umpiring to be poor this year - possibly in part due to COVID - but I don't think our games have been adjudicated worse than average.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

tigertim

something funny is written here
Mar 6, 2004
29,897
12,168
So given it has been widely accepted that there is an AFL and umpire led conspiracy to prevent Richmond having success by manipulating free kick counts, we can only assume that campaign now sees Geelong as a bigger threat and is focussed on them.

I'm sure there will be no shortage of PRE posters ready to join me in demanding a fairer go for Geelong from the umpires, a necessary piece of bipartisan support to maintain football's integrity.
Glad to see your onboard about the umpires and Richmond but I don’t really care what happens to Geelong. :p
 
  • Haha
Reactions: 1 user

Baloo

Delisted Free Agent
Nov 8, 2005
44,116
18,926
Said it before and I'll say it again - our pressure game style means we'll concede more frees than we win. I don't care, I'd prefer to win games than the free kick count.

Sure. But then you have the likes of Collingwood who started mimicking our game style, especially in 2018, but they were always on the positive side of the free kick ledger.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

LeeToRainesToRoach

Tiger Legend
Jun 4, 2006
33,186
11,546
Melbourne
So given it has been widely accepted that there is an AFL and umpire led conspiracy to prevent Richmond having success by manipulating free kick counts, we can only assume that campaign now sees Geelong as a bigger threat and is focussed on them.

Some umpires just seem to be biased in their judgements. Who knows what the reason is? There have been several studies that showed sporting teams with predominantly black uniforms were umpired/refereed/judged more harshly than other teams.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

DavidSSS

Tiger Legend
Dec 11, 2017
10,525
17,883
Melbourne
Said it before and I'll say it again - our pressure game style means we'll concede more frees than we win. I don't care, I'd prefer to win games than the free kick count.

I understand this point of view, but I would just like to see some consistency in umpiring, at the moment it's a bloody circus.

DS
 

Baloo

Delisted Free Agent
Nov 8, 2005
44,116
18,926
Some umpires just seem to be biased in their judgements. Who knows what the reason is? There have been several studies that showed sporting teams with predominantly black uniforms were umpired/refereed/judged more harshly than other teams.

I view it as the 50/50 call. When it's a 50/50 decision, some teams get the benefit of the doubt, others don't. Not malicious or predetermined, but whether it's the fear of a Eddie or Clarkson media outburst, or something more deep rooted, it definitely happens. Also, being 50/50 it's very easy to defend whatever decision was made
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

LeeToRainesToRoach

Tiger Legend
Jun 4, 2006
33,186
11,546
Melbourne
I view it as the 50/50 call. When it's a 50/50 decision, some teams get the benefit of the doubt, others don't. Not malicious or predetermined, but whether it's the fear of a Eddie or Clarkson media outburst, or something more deep rooted, it definitely happens. Also, being 50/50 it's very easy to defend whatever decision was made

The psychological factor in will I/won't I pay a free is huge, and probably different for every umpire. You'd love to be a fly on the wall... "Jack Riewoldt stooged me on the weekend and made me look silly. That bastard's getting nothing from me from now on."
 

DavidSSS

Tiger Legend
Dec 11, 2017
10,525
17,883
Melbourne
A lot of truth in that. For the most part we've been too busy winning to complain. But the incidence of neutrals who actually believe we get a charmed run from umpires and that it's a component of our success is surprisingly high.

I perceive umpiring to be poor this year - possibly in part due to COVID - but I don't think our games have been adjudicated worse than average.

I was at the Collingwood game late in the 2018 season as a Collingwood supporter screamed something out about how they always get screwed by the umpires and we get a charmed run. I replied that they were plus 70 odd and we were minus 80 odd frees at that point in the season. Was fairly good natured but I was just gobsmacked a Collingwood supporter could claim this with a straight face.

The fact our games aren't being adjudicated worse than average just tells me how bad they have been for quite a while.

DS
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

AngryAnt

Tiger Legend
Nov 25, 2004
27,017
14,794
A lot of truth in that. For the most part we've been too busy winning to complain. But the incidence of neutrals who actually believe we get a charmed run from umpires and that it's a component of our success is surprisingly high.

yeah i think that's down to neutrals mostly seeing us in finals or grand finals where surprisingly we tend to break even on free kicks or not do as badly at least. I know 2017GF neutrals couldn't believe how many frees we got, particularly to Rance but also a lot of jumper holds were paid to us.
 

AngryAnt

Tiger Legend
Nov 25, 2004
27,017
14,794
I understand this point of view, but I would just like to see some consistency in umpiring, at the moment it's a bloody circus.

DS

Any time you have umps having to interpret intention then you'll get inconsistency. So I blame the rule makers essentially.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

tigertim

something funny is written here
Mar 6, 2004
29,897
12,168
yeah i think that's down to neutrals mostly seeing us in finals or grand finals where surprisingly we tend to break even on free kicks or not do as badly at least. I know 2017GF neutrals couldn't believe how many frees we got, particularly to Rance but also a lot of jumper holds were paid to us.
they were? It was 24-19.
Rancey got 4, then JT and Dusty got 3 each.
 

AngryAnt

Tiger Legend
Nov 25, 2004
27,017
14,794
they were? It was 24-19.
Rancey got 4, then JT and Dusty got 3 each.

Thanks for the check Timbo, but read back with emphasis on where I said "at least not as badly". Remember also I'm talking about the perceptions of neutrals.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user