Anyone care to comment on the belligerence and favoritism of the umpires/gymnast/prima donnas last evening. I have never in my life witnessed such a theatrically based show of incompetence from a fraternity who are paid copious amounts of money to do a job which they overcomplicate. Surely adjudication involves simplicity and control with calculated and calm actions and low levels of theatrics. Instead we got in-judicial decisions which lacked deliberation, and calculation coupled with self effacing gestures of contempt toward players both in the manner in which they conversed and related to them. This elongates the divide further between player and umpire. For the second time in an 8 week period I witnessed Mclaren visibly make contact with a player, without malice of course but an action which vindicates further investigation.

Please if you are going to umpire dont insight the crowd of both clubs with your idiocy and lack of knowledge and feel for the game. Make the decisions, stay out of the way and most of all get off the field quickly at the games end so the supporters dont have to look at you any more than necessary.

Thats all.

Please don't get me started on the standard of umpiring these days. All of the nasty little weeds have ego's the size of mount everest. They think they control the game, and therefore run it and are above it.

There are way too many rules and rule changes to adjudicate for umpiring to be consistent. The fact that the umpires association come out and say they will be targeting this or that on a weekend only highlights their unbelievable inconsistency. They, along with vlad and his crew in charge of the AFL, are the only one's that aren't held accountable for their actions.

My old man says that there wouldn't be a game without umpires. Whilst i see where he is coming from, such a proposition of no umpires could not be any worse than what umpires are currently serving up week after week. Umpires are paid to adjudicate, not voice their opinion, so it would be a start if they just shut their gobs and get on with umpiring and not commentating.

It's about time umpires are held accountable of their actions.

PS. this is not a post venting my anger on the standard of umpiring last night. We were again very poor, and it is about time the media and we as supporters start seriously holding both the players and Bailey accountable for the drivel they continue to serve up. For those that say we have improved on last year, don't give me statistics to show otherwise, coz stats don't win games. We have neither taken a step forward or backward, and that is what is most disappointing.

As for Josh Mahoney and his forward setup, if he is not given the arse at the end of the year, then we need to start raising questions on Bailey's ability to become a decent coach. A 6th grader would have more of a clue on how to run a forward line than this Port Adelaide hack.

PPS. Yes i realise that i have now vented my anger, however it is not on the umpires.

umpiring last night... was a real shocker. !!!! I think we need "an explanation"from Gieschen

How about the one where, apparently, Frawley was pinged for 'holding' .

Frawley managed to achieve this by wrapping Lllllllloyyyyds arm around his (he has godlike mind control) and having Lllllllloyyyyd pull him over the shoulder (told you already, mind control).

I said this on another thread, but, though the umpiring was poor yesterday, most of Essendon's free kicks were legitimate, and were a result of Essendon players being first to the ball.

The last few weeks I think the umpiring has been really good, but last nights was a real step backwards and a shocker.

And the fact McLaren told Llyod that he was holding Frawleys arm and then did not pay a free to Frawley for being held is mind boggling, he even said it, you could hear him plain as day on the telecast,"No Matty, you were holding him!"

THEN IT'S A FREE KICK YOU [censored]!

The umpiring last night was as shocking at times as it was completely baffling at others. The amount of times I found myself asking 'What for?' last night set a new personal record.

And I don't usually complain about the umpiring. I've been to enough games over the years to know that some weeks you get the frees, some weeks you don't, it'll even out in the long run.

But last night was bewildering and deserved comment.

Please don't get me started on the standard of umpiring these days. All of the nasty little weeds have ego's the size of mount everest. They think they control the game, and therefore run it and are above it.

There are way too many rules and rule changes to adjudicate for umpiring to be consistent. The fact that the umpires association come out and say they will be targeting this or that on a weekend only highlights their unbelievable inconsistency. They, along with vlad and his crew in charge of the AFL, are the only one's that aren't held accountable for their actions.

My old man says that there wouldn't be a game without umpires. Whilst i see where he is coming from, such a proposition of no umpires could not be any worse than what umpires are currently serving up week after week. Umpires are paid to adjudicate, not voice their opinion, so it would be a start if they just shut their gobs and get on with umpiring and not commentating.

It's about time umpires are held accountable of their actions.

PS. this is not a post venting my anger on the standard of umpiring last night. We were again very poor, and it is about time the media and we as supporters start seriously holding both the players and Bailey accountable for the drivel they continue to serve up. For those that say we have improved on last year, don't give me statistics to show otherwise, coz stats don't win games. We have neither taken a step forward or backward, and that is what is most disappointing.

As for Josh Mahoney and his forward setup, if he is not given the arse at the end of the year, then we need to start raising questions on Bailey's ability to become a decent coach. A 6th grader would have more of a clue on how to run a forward line than this Port Adelaide hack.

PPS. Yes i realise that i have now vented my anger, however it is not on the umpires.

Was at the game last night with a few Bombers supporters, and it was the general concensus that the umpiring standard, overshadowed what was an entertaining first half of footy. But my mate had an insightful answer as to why it happens week after week. His theory is that the game is just too quick for them, and 90% of the time they are just guessing with their calls. Normally I would take what he says with a grain of salt. But the further the game went on, the more his theory gained merit. If this was the case, you would have to say we need more umpires out there, but I think that would be disasterous as there are already too many ego's out there ATM. So I don't know what the answer is. Except maybe sack Geishan, and get more annonymous men in white. Remember the 'old days' when an umpire did a good job, you wouldn't notice him out there. When was the last time you didn't notice an umpire?

I said this on another thread, but, though the umpiring was poor yesterday, most of Essendon's free kicks were legitimate, and were a result of Essendon players being first to the ball.

probably yes. they were probably technically there.

however, there were probably another 10-15 to essendon that were 'technically there, but no one would ever dream of paying them because they are soft, incidental, and don't influence the game.

there were probably also 30 to melbourne (the 10-15 that were the equivalent of essendons, and the 10-15 that we weren't paid in the first place) that could have been paid.

the umpires may have technically got it right for the essendon frees, then technically got it right for ones they didn't pay to melbourne (because they were soft and incidental), but it doesn't mar the fact they got more than double the frees we got, and probably got 5 goals all up from frees and 50s.

we may not have played well, but we would've been level with them at quarter time if they didn't get goals from frees, and in front at half time. makes the 3rd quarter a different story if you are 3 goals in front doesn't it?

the umps are inconsistent, and appear to have too much influence on the game. let it flow. let the players play, unless the infringement warrants it.

Was at the game last night with a few Bombers supporters, and it was the general concensus that the umpiring standard, overshadowed what was an entertaining first half of footy. But my mate had an insightful answer as to why it happens week after week. His theory is that the game is just too quick for them, and 90% of the time they are just guessing with their calls. Normally I would take what he says with a grain of salt. But the further the game went on, the more his theory gained merit. If this was the case, you would have to say we need more umpires out there, but I think that would be disasterous as there are already too many ego's out there ATM. So I don't know what the answer is. Except maybe sack Geishan, and get more annonymous men in white. Remember the 'old days' when an umpire did a good job, you wouldn't notice him out there. When was the last time you didn't notice an umpire?

i counted 7 first half goals from free kicks that should not have been paid. 4 to essendon 3 to melbourne. for god's sake let the game go. definately when you don't notice the umpires , they must have done a good job. let the petty pissweak tiggy touchwood freekicks go.

[quote='DangerousDemon'

I reckon you've made an accurate point very eloquently.

The free kick tally at the end of an otherwise pretty equal first quarter was 7:1. (22:9 at the end)

Their first 3 goals came from dubious frees. What a great start!

All night they were influenced by a totally Essendon crowd, who screamed "BALL' a split second before Melbourne players took possession

Robbo got one ridiculous free for a goal, but apart from that, 50:50 went their way 80:20.

On one occasion Lucas absolutely scragged Martin in the goalsquare before marking"unopposed". No free. Add that to all the goals they got. Thank heavens for the biased umpiring....we might have won and wrecked our drafting.

As bad as the umpiring was last night. The worst piece of umpiring i've seen in my life was tonight in the swans game.

Ball delivered into Swans forward line. Collingwood player no eyes for the ball knocks the Swannie off his feet and gets away with it. Nobody else within 30m. Utter disgrace. Complete incompetence. And Geisen stands up for these idiots?

re "tonight in the swans game."

The 50:50 decisions went 80:20 in Collingwood's favour.

There was a hell of a lot of crowd support for Coll. up there.

My belief on umpiring is that every decision should be made as if it is the Grand Final, the scores are level and there is 30 seconds remaining in the game.

My belief on umpiring is that every decision should be made as if it is the Grand Final, the scores are level and there is 30 seconds remaining in the game.

the problem with that is you may get umpires trying to get the spotlight and pay the decisions.

i think the aim shold be 'put the whistle away, and only use it if you have to'. if the contact was only incidental let it go, if it doesnt affect the play, let it go. etc

As bad as the umpiring was last night. The worst piece of umpiring i've seen in my life was tonight in the swans game.

Ball delivered into Swans forward line. Collingwood player no eyes for the ball knocks the Swannie off his feet and gets away with it. Nobody else within 30m. Utter disgrace. Complete incompetence. And Geisen stands up for these idiots?

I thought the same thing - the umpiring at this game was poor to say the least.

And Love or hate Barry Hall - he really does cop it from the umpires both for and against and compare that with Lloyd and Lucas pulling defenders arms accross them as they fall to the ground for an easy free kick. Watch both gaems (I know - different umpires) and you will see how differently teams seem to be treated.

i think the aim shold be 'put the whistle away, and only use it if you have to'. if the contact was only incidental let it go, if it doesnt affect the play, let it go. etc

That's what I mean. In a high pressure situation the umpire will be less likely to pay a 50-50 free kick if it is going to have a direct effect on the outcome. Well you would hope so anyway.

the in the back for the Dees / Bombers went out the window for the Swans / Pies. games between clubs that are travelling well are seem to be let go a lot more . this should be across the board.

I thought they were really poor for both sides, we did have 3 goals from free kicks in the 2nd term when we came back and if I recall one of them too Robbo was very dubious.

Watching Cats and Wharfies - totally different interpretation on tackles.

Had these umpires been at our game the Bombers don't get those first three goals.

And that troll Lonergan would not get frees for ducking his head.

All i ask of the umpires is consistency.

If you going to pay soft free kicks, make sure you pay them all night and to both teams

I wasn't there Friday night as I had to work, but watched the replay when I got home. I agree that most of essendon's free's were deserved but the number of frees that were exactly the same that weren't paid the other way was ridiculous.

I wish we had the umpires that just whistled the Freo v. Geelong game. They let so much go that it was frustrating for me watching it after watching the replay of our first half earlier, because i saw about 20 frees that would have been paid against us the other night, that were not in that game.

Also, it looked to me that watts got a handball away when he got tackled by Davey. I wasn't sure if the ump was blindsided, but once again i see all the time when players get tackled, if they get a disposal away before they hit the ground or get spun, it's play on. The life of a bottom side and the disrespect we receive off the umpires, is becoming tiresome.

And the fact McLaren told Llyod that he was holding Frawleys arm and then did not pay a free to Frawley for being held is mind boggling, he even said it, you could hear him plain as day on the telecast,"No Matty, you were holding him!"

THEN IT'S A FREE KICK YOU [censored]!

I'm no McLaren fan, but if it's the incident I think you are talking about, Lloyd ask why didn't he get a free kick, and as you said, McLaren told him that he was holding him, as in 'you were holding him as well'.

Both players holding = no free kick.

It did seem like the umpires were in a time warp back to early in the season when everything was getting paid.

It was frustrating, and had the game been closer, it would have been worse.

I'm no McLaren fan, but if it's the incident I think you are talking about, Lloyd ask why didn't he get a free kick, and as you said, McLaren told him that he was holding him, as in 'you were holding him as well'.

Can appreciate that but in the end its just an assumption that fits a predisposition.

McLaren told him that he was holding him, as in 'nothing wrong with man love'.

Lloyd was clearly 'in control' of that contest. He was in control because he had Frawleys arm pinned and pulled over his shoulder.

[quote name='Ash 30'

"It was frustrating, and had the game been closer, it would have been worse."

With fairer umpiring it WOULD have been closer, but not worse.