Michael Christian

[dieter 3,325]

Noted the displeasure with Christian's shall we say lenient decisions from SEN and Gerard Whateley and his Herald Sun offsider - Robbo - and I wonder how long the AFL can defer to this man's strange conclusions? What concerns me most is the blatant inconsistency. 

[buck_nekkid 5,496]

How was he even selected for the post?  Perhaps a former umpire would have been better than a [censored] ex filth [censored].  Or even a lawyer.  In fact, get Gobbo on the go.  She can do defence as well as prosecute.

Seriously, going ‘lenient’ when it suits him shows the weakness of character of the man.  Consistency is what matters with a process such as the one he runs.  Not according to his whims.

[DeeSpencer 23,189]

It's more a design of the system that's at fault. Create a system with rigid guidelines and you'll get people who cling to them. 

The Cunnington punch off the ball had plenty of force and a whole lot of nastiness to it. But impact comes down to silly things like whether the player went off the ground and if they sat out the rest of the game.

Now that tribunal challenges are back in force it's very easy to overrule based on the AFL's own guidelines.

It's the unfortunate thing about the May incident. The vision was in my mind thoroughly inconclusive. The medical report similarly inconclusive and he didn't return to the game.

Anyway, I couldn't care less about who does and doesn't get suspended from other teams. All I want is our players not be suspended. So if he's lenient that's better than the alternative. 

[Redleg 37,689]

25 minutes ago, dieter said:

Noted the displeasure with Christian's shall we say lenient decisions from SEN and Gerard Whateley and his Herald Sun offsider - Robbo - and I wonder how long the AFL can defer to this man's strange conclusions? What concerns me most is the blatant inconsistency. 

On the Couch guys savaged the 3 decisions of off the ball blocks and gut punches. Said each was at least a week.

The one consistent thing about this guy's decisions is his inconsistency. He clearly makes it up on the run.

 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,462]

Ironic, given the whole idea of a single MRO was to replace the perceived inconsistency of the MRP.

[Mazer Rackham 14,969]

25 minutes ago, dieter said:

Noted the displeasure with Christian's shall we say lenient decisions from SEN and Gerard Whateley and his Herald Sun offsider - Robbo - and I wonder how long the AFL can defer to this man's strange conclusions? What concerns me most is the blatant inconsistency. 

It's in the job description. Our spies got a quick look at the application form before it got taken down.

... must be partially blind ... must exhibit questionable judgement ... must have short term memory loss ... long term memory loss an advantage ... blatant inconsistency a must ... the successful applicant will be required to undertake random drug and alcohol ingestion ... the AFL will defer to all of the successful applicant's conclusions ... applicants are to take note that the strangest conclusions will be most favorably received ... remuneration $10,000 per calendar month ... the AFL will accept part payment in instances of financial hardship; note all shortfall amounts are subject to interest rate 19% per annum ... no experience necessary ...

 

[chook fowler 18,297]

Breathtaking incompetence 

[david_neitz_is_my_dad 3,927]

A few rounds into last season and I couldn’t see him going around again (2019) but here we are. He is going to raise a lot of money for the AFL this season.

[TGR 1,367]

AFL should be paying a Paul Roos to adjudicate these penalties.

It's a bit like healthcare, in that it is art and science.  They tried the pure 'science' with their formulae which came unstuck a couple of years ago. They have gone to pure art with the inconsistent Christian.

They need a formula which can be overriden by a respected figure(s) like Roos or Matthews.

[picket fence 15,243]

I reckon Rod Grinter would be ideal in place of Christian!!

[dieter 3,325]

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

I reckon Rod Grinter would be ideal in place of Christian!!

Even a finer replacement would be Lethal Leigh.

[Gorgoroth 12,331]

I’m pretty sure Cristian has one of these that he spins where he has changed the words from the one shown.

[pitmaster 3,064]

Utter fraud.

[beelzebub 22,225]

It's an utter travesty of common sense and understanding of the game that this numbat is in this job.

Even worse he's validated by others at AFL house. 

Yet we all understand ... Why !!!

[What 18,810]

He might be worse at this than he was as a Channel 10 commentator,  and he was a garbage commentator.

[deebug 1,754]

3 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

It's an utter travesty of common sense and understanding of the game that this numbat is in this job.

Even worse he's validated by others at AFL house. 

Yet we all understand ... Why !!!

Because the AFL make up as they g

[dieter 3,325]

You have the dude that took out Brereton at the first bounce of the '89 grand final, broke his ribs - a moment which I got and cheered about because finally someone had given this vicious c..t  a dose of his own medicine - now pontificating on the so-called rules Christian is supposed to abide by. Please allow me to spit into a corner and call it what it is- a Circus.

[bragswoewodin 17]

I am honestly floored by that Cunnington decision. He is a serial offender on that point, and it’s why I don’t think much of him as a player. If that’s what he thinks is physical play, he’s a pretty bad example for his younger team mates.

I'm happy to cop the May ruling, it was careless and without malice, but he had priors. He should have known better, despite what did or didn’t happen. Hopefully this is like Lewis’s bad early run with us, since then he’s been a model citizen. 

Unfortunately, given this is an AFL and umpire related function of our game, the rules will always change. I thought we were going to be tough on punching? Guess not.

Edited March 26, 2019 by bragswoewodin

[beelzebub 22,225]

3 minutes ago, deebug said:

Because the AFL make up as they g

That's an understatement.

The metrics that guide the arrogant imbeciles of the AFL have all but nothing to do with the real game, its integrity or spirit.

It has everything to do with commerce. That of course is not what the game is about.

[dieter 3,325]

19 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

That's an understatement.

The metrics that guide the arrogant imbeciles of the AFL have all but nothing to do with the real game, its integrity or spirit.

It has everything to do with commerce. That of course is not what the game is about.

Are you really, really sure about that? I'm not. You obviously never did Commerce at school.( I didn't either.)

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,586]

2 hours ago, picket fence said:

I reckon Rod Grinter would be ideal in place of Christian!!

Not sure I'm the best candidate for the job, but I'd be more than happy to give Christian a first hand explanation of how much force is in a gut punch without breaking any ribs.

[Wells 11 4,781]

What happened to " we're cracking down on gut punches  this year". The cunnington decision means its exactly the same as last year!  That decision now sets the precedent...as the gawn and Riewoldt decisions set the precedent. Expect lots more gut punching and ramming people off the ball now. Really really stupid. 

[beelzebub 22,225]

18 minutes ago, dieter said:

Are you really, really sure about that? I'm not. You obviously never did Commerce at school.( I didn't either.)

Commerce is in simple terms... business

Football...a sport. 

The original ideals of sports was/is the antithesis of Commerce. Sport , ideally is competition of ability. 

Looking at the rules of the game I don't see money mentioned.

Then there's now.

[D4Life 2,301]

39 minutes ago, bragswoewodin said:

I am honestly floored by that Cunnington decision. He is a serial offender on that point, and it’s why I don’t think much of him as a player. If that’s what he thinks is physical play, he’s a pretty bad example for his younger team mates.

I'm happy to cop the May ruling, it was careless and without malice, but he had priors. He should have known better, despite what did or didn’t happen. Hopefully this is like Lewis’s bad early run with us, since then he’s been a model citizen. 

Unfortunately, given this is an AFL and umpire related function of our game, the rules will always change. I thought we were going to be tough on punching? Guess not.

Cunnington smashed Bernie Vince in the guts at the ‘G’ in 2017 members wing right in front of umpires, Vince went down nothing. Cunnington is a protected species & no idea why as he is a dirty player.

Did anything happen to guy who smashed Max?

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,586]

Seriously the AFL needs to start basing these suspensions on the intent of the action, not the outcome.

If you throw a punch that isn't something that is could reasonably an action of playing the ball (i.e. a spoil or handball) - automatic 1 or 2 week suspension.  Whether it glances or makes good connection, what's the difference.  A glance is only good luck away from becoming a Tom Bugg/Andrew Gaff outcome.  If physical injury occurs as the result, then the minimum 1 - 2 weeks can be increased.

Players and clubs hardly care about fines - they care about missing games.