Umpiring/Kane's (well deserved) spray [Merged]

[The Night Owl]

Kane Johnson Fined $10k for umpire spray after West Coast game!

I don't follow Richmond and to be honest don't really like them much at all but this fine imposed on Kane Johnson by the AFL is nothing but an absolute disgrace.How can someone be fined for speaking their mind,i thought we lived in a democracy,this is where the fans are really taking a huge dislike to the AFL,i am sure all the Tiger fans would of been rapt to hear him speak his mind most likely on all of their behalf,yet City Hall take it upon themselves to take this spineless action,i heard Adrian Anderson (who i can't stand) on radio say that the umpiring fraternity need to be protected from this critisim as numbers are dwindling in the lower ranks,well tough luck anyone in any form of vocation in life is not immune from critisim especially these maurauding fools who continue to stuff our game up with the over officiating of the rules (probably the rules committee fault there) but still they continue to try & be bigger than the game itself,enough is enough the three umpires of last weeks game should dip in their pockets & pay a third of the fine each!

This is The Night Owl speaking,goodnight!

 

[AstroboyUK]

Re: Kane Johnson Fined $10k for umpire spray after West Coast game!

Well, I DO follow Richmond, and I think a fine was the only option open: Im glad Kayne spoke his mind- Im sorry he's been fined but the bigger picture is the real story: there is a crisis in umpire numbers and they do not get enough (barely any) respect at the best of times. There are plenty of official, but non-public chanels for RFC to register complaints about umpiring: it does not need to be done in a public forum like a press conference. If the AFL - or any administrator in any League around the country does not give umpires official support and protection there will be not only fewer umpires, but lower standards of umpiring as well. Kayne knew the rules and he (courageously) spoke out anyway. A fine is fair play: Kayne has just earnt a few leadership brownie points in my book.

 

[ToraToraTora]

Re: Kane Johnson Fined $10k for umpire spray after West Coast game!

"Yeah the umps decisions were a bit confusing hope they sort it out next week by the way welcome back to AFL footy soon Ben Cousins might go and join these guys on the Omo and whatnot they certainly don't seem to have too much trouble avoiding fines and such".

 

[Rosy]

Re: Kane Johnson Fined $10k for umpire spray after West Coast game!

Paul Armstrong said on 3LO tonight that the club will be paying the fine. They broke the rules and will cough up. (not those exact words)

 

[Jools]

I note in an article on Kane's fine that even though the umpires performance was defended, Pannell has been dropped this week and is emergency for a game (not ours). Pannell umpired our games against Sydney and West Coast.
Half of the $5000 fine for approaching the umpires was suspended. The full $5000 applies for the post match comments.

 

[Al Bundy]

We all expected the fines to be hones as did Grant last year when his frustration boiled over & also Hirds.

Lets not look at the effect but dig deeper to solve the caUse. The umpires will continue to muddle up the interpretation as do the players. I suggest the all clubs learn from this and push for a freeze for 2 years to any new intrepretation or clamp down of rules. When the AFL push a certain rule in all fairness to the umpires it will take them time to adjust individually as do clubs.

so I say to the AFL :

[size=15pt]LEAVE THE RULES ALONE FOR EVERYONE'S SAKE !

 

[Tigerfan]

the 22 blokes in the squad should split it evenly ; share the pain.

 

[jb03]

Re: Kane Johnson Fined $10k for umpire spray after West Coast game!

Well, I DO follow Richmond, and I think a fine was the only option open: Im glad Kayne spoke his mind- Im sorry he's been fined but the bigger picture is the real story: there is a crisis in umpire numbers and they do not get enough (barely any) respect at the best of times. There are plenty of official, but non-public chanels for RFC to register complaints about umpiring: it does not need to be done in a public forum like a press conference. If the AFL - or any administrator in any League around the country does not give umpires official support and protection there will be not only fewer umpires, but lower standards of umpiring as well. Kayne knew the rules and he (courageously) spoke out anyway. A fine is fair play: Kayne has just earnt a few leadership brownie points in my book.

Perhaps Astro the AFL are adding to the problem/crisis in umpiring by the way they are handling the treatment of umpires. They force the rest of us to view them as 'lepers' because they are rarely allowed to speak, including defending themselves. IF the umpires were pumped up a bit more as personalities and an integral part of the game instead of placing them all in a cone of silence they just might attract more potential recruits.

Also,on a side note if the AFL/Umpire bosses did not place such a ridiculously high emphasis on the ability to bounce the ball the standard would also increase.

 

[Berwick boy]

Re: Kane Johnson Fined $10k for umpire spray after West Coast game!

I don't follow Richmond and to be honest don't really like them much at all but this fine imposed on Kane Johnson by the AFL is nothing but an absolute disgrace.How can someone be fined for speaking their mind,i thought we lived in a democracy,this is where the fans are really taking a huge dislike to the AFL,i am sure all the Tiger fans would of been rapt to hear him speak his mind most likely on all of their behalf,yet City Hall take it upon themselves to take this spineless action,i heard Adrian Anderson (who i can't stand) on radio say that the umpiring fraternity need to be protected from this critisim as numbers are dwindling in the lower ranks,well tough luck anyone in any form of vocation in life is not immune from critisim especially these maurauding fools who continue to stuff our game up with the over officiating of the rules (probably the rules committee fault there) but still they continue to try & be bigger than the game itself,enough is enough the three umpires of last weeks game should dip in their pockets & pay a third of the fine each!

This is The Night Owl speaking,goodnight!

Does anyone else see the irony of someone called the NightOwl saying goodnight at 7.54pm :hihi

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

Re: Kane Johnson Fined $10k for umpire spray after West Coast game!

...
This is The Night Owl speaking,goodnight!

Does anyone else see the irony of someone called the NightOwl saying goodnight at 7.54pm :hihi

Yes :hihi

 

[tigertim]

I wonder if Sportsbet are giving odds on the interpretation of the holding the man rule being much more lax this week than last week.

Not that the umpires ever change their interpretation!

To you hard men in white/green/yellow, we salute you!

 

[feisty tige]

So the captains are only allowed to talk to the umps during the game... when both parties are trying to concentrate on the match...

What a crock of crap. Gee they crap me to tears the AFL...

 

[K3]

After reading through the report on Real Footy, which can be found at http://realfooty.com.au/news/news/johnson-fined-for-umpire-criticism/2007/05/03/1177788305015.html the parts that I found to be REALLY annoying were...

"The AFL has ordered Richmond to pay the fine, and the Tigers are prevented from appealing against the decision." - Thank goodness our justice system isn't like this, as it looks like they have taken a leaf out of the Military Trials in the USA...

"AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said in a statement that the league needed to set a positive example about how players treat umpires.

He added that abuse and misconduct towards umpires had a negative impact on recruiting and retaining umpires." - Which part of what has happened constituted "abuse" and "misconduct" let alone that warranted a $10,000 fine?

"AFL umpires' manager Jeff Gieschen has strongly defended the performance of Wenn, Ryan and Pannell." - All I can say is 'What the...?' I truly don't see how anyone can defend their performance and in my opinion if Gieschen came out and gave an 'honest' appraisal of the umps efforts the league would be a better place. As by defending the undefendable Gieschen, and the AFL by association, look like they are either liars or fools... or maybe a bit of both.

 

[Rosy]

I heard Paul Armstrong on radio again this morning and the way he speaks it's our choice to just pay the fine, we broke the rules and it's time to move on. The $10,000 is $5,000 each for two separate incidents. We were warned last season apparently. Somehow, as with Hirdy, I get the feeling Sugar's comments weren't a spur of the minute thing. Someone definitely needed to make the issue public.

It will be interesting to see if there are any changes in the umpiring. Surely they aren't so pompous that they won't take criticism on board even if it is only in private.

 

[pahoffm]

Money well spent. Sometimes, in the name of fairness, the point has to be made, regardless of the cost.

 

[tigerbeau]

Anyone that was at that game would know how unfairly treated we we're.

Everyone noticed, the fans, the Players and Coaches but somehow the Umpires feel as thought they we're treated unfairly.

So do the *smile* Richmond Supporers that were at that game you *smile* heads!!!

Umpires should be held accountable for their actions as everyone else is at their jobs.

Players are cruxified in the media when they play or behave badly so why not umpires???

 

[Jake]

"AFL umpires' manager Jeff Gieschen has strongly defended the performance of Wenn, Ryan and Pannell." - All I can say is 'What the...?' I truly don't see how anyone can defend their performance and in my opinion if Gieschen came out and gave an 'honest' appraisal of the umps efforts the league would be a better place. As by defending the undefendable Gieschen, and the AFL by association, look like they are either liars or fools... or maybe a bit of both.

T.Pannell didn't get a game, Ryan to umpire Melb v Port, Wenn to stuff up the Lion v Dockers game. We get Kennedy, Avon, K.Nicholls. Interesting West Coast v Western Bulldogs game have an umpire with the surname, Margetts.

 

[purepoweryouth]

"AFL umpires' manager Jeff Gieschen has strongly defended the performance of Wenn, Ryan and Pannell." - All I can say is 'What the...?' I truly don't see how anyone can defend their performance and in my opinion if Gieschen came out and gave an 'honest' appraisal of the umps efforts the league would be a better place. As by defending the undefendable Gieschen, and the AFL by association, look like they are either liars or fools... or maybe a bit of both.

T.Pannell didn't get a game, Ryan to umpire Melb v Port, Wenn to stuff up the Lion v Dockers game. We get Kennedy, Avon, K.Nicholls. Interesting West Coast v Western Bulldogs game have an umpire with the surname, Margetts.

And Margetts is a West Aussie, so the Wiggles have done alright there.

 

[BrisTiger24]

"The AFL has ordered Richmond to pay the fine, and the Tigers are prevented from appealing against the decision." -

That in itself is a disgrace. We might aswell have Saddam Hussein running our competition. Natural justice requires there to be an appeal mechanism in place otherwise the system is dictatorial. Governments of countries have been overthrown for this exact reason.