The MCG SIREN

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,664]

I was sitting close to the ground on the Members' wing. At no time did I hear the final siren.

A friend of mine was at the Geelong /Haw game at the MCG the previous week. He didn't hear it, either.Both games were as close as possible.

Something's got to be done about this before there's another farce like the one in the StK/Freo game in Launceston.

Actually, it'd be great if Coll lost due to a goal being kicked after the siren in a Final(but it could happen the other way around, and I couldn't tolerate that!)

[Rogue 585]

It sounds like I was in a similar spot on the opposite side of the ground.

I didn't hear the siren either.

[Einstein 1]

I didn't hear it either.

The guy next to me said the siren's gone. I said has it? He said yeah, I think.

I remember the Brisbane game last season, I didn't hear the siren that day either.

[#MYHEARTBEATSTRUE 27]

At the "G" the last few years the siren has had the volume down, same with the club songs, i was sitting on the HFF bottom tear, and i did not hear the siren go also.

[dee-luded 2,958]

It sounds like I was in a similar spot on the opposite side of the ground.

I didn't hear the siren either.

I was in the Northern stand right in front of the 50Mtr arc when Tambling centred to Mcmahon. He had just marked the ball when I heard what I thought was the siren, I had radio earmuffs on. It was the siren I heard & I swear the siren sounded after the mark was taken.

[Guest Watts=Saviour]

Well there were a hell of a lot of people screaming and yelling, but I didn't hear it either.

[Gorgoroth 12,447]

I heard it (bottom level, next to AFL members), and I thought it was before McMahon marked the ball. But I wont argue.

They do need to lift the volume back up on both the siren and the songs!

Can hardly ever hear the songs.

[beelzebub 22,762]

watched it up here in Maroochy on telly and it sounded...and it seem to be going as McMahon marker... heart was in mouth wondering whether it would be paid...phew !!!.. :D

[JACKATTACK 17]

If i can remember my SOHCAHTOA, use 340m/s as the speed of sound, account for the variation in elevation, curvature of the earth, I figure that from where I was and where the ball appeared to be when I heard the siren, that the ump musyt have heard the siren before McMahon had completed the mark.

Therefore, we actually won and we were robbed of a victory, and thank god the umpire has a sense of drama.

[Gorgoroth 12,447]

The ump must be a Dee's supporter then

[kryton 0]

If i can remember my SOHCAHTOA, use 340m/s as the speed of sound, account for the variation in elevation, curvature of the earth, I figure that from where I was and where the ball appeared to be when I heard the siren, that the ump musyt have heard the siren before McMahon had completed the mark.

Therefore, we actually won and we were robbed of a victory, and thank god the umpire has a sense of drama.

Did take into account the variable speed at which the umpire processes the sound whilst watching the play and thinks..."oooh that sounds like the siren...."?

[JACKATTACK 17]

Did take into account the variable speed at which the umpire processes the sound whilst watching the play and thinks..."oooh that sounds like the siren...."?

Or indeed the speed of light and the time it took for the light to travel to me.

But I prefer to live in the knowledge that we actually won, and we still miss out on those horrible 4 points.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

I heard it (bottom level, next to AFL members), and I thought it was before McMahon marked the ball. But I wont argue.

The speed of sound in air (20 °C) is 343 metres per second, so it's possible you heard it before someone somewhere else on the ground.

More interesting is the speed at which reality gets processed in the neurons between umpire's ears. Now that is a study in itself!

[JACKATTACK 17]

The speed of sound in air (20 °C) is 343 metres per second, so it's possible you heard it before someone somewhere else on the ground.

More interesting is the speed at which reality gets processed in the neurons between umpire's ears. Now that is a study in itself!

I assume that the "processing" speed was the same for him as it was for me, so they cancel eachother out.

So if I was roughly 100m away from the ump; at that speed of sound the time differential for me/the ump would be .3 of a second, and although I do admit I am working from memory I must say I was sure it looked to me that the time from when I heard the siren to when Mcmahon took the mark was well beyond .3 of a second.

I'm not about to call up the AFL and complain though.

[titan_uranus 23,254]

I was on Level 2 of the MCC (in front of the coaches box) and, though I could see the clock inside the box, I didn't hear the siren either.

And the low volume of the songs really pisses me off.

If i can remember my SOHCAHTOA, use 340m/s as the speed of sound, account for the variation in elevation, curvature of the earth, I figure that from where I was and where the ball appeared to be when I heard the siren, that the ump musyt have heard the siren before McMahon had completed the mark.

Therefore, we actually won and we were robbed of a victory, and thank god the umpire has a sense of drama.

That's not actually true, Jackattack. In fact, McMahon's mark was taken legally, as outlined by the Laws of the Game:

10.4.1 End of Quarter

The Timekeepers shall sound the siren to signal the end of a quarter until a field Umpire acknowledges that the siren has been heard and brings play to an end.

10.4.2 Siren Heard by Field Umpire

Play in each quarter shall come to an end when any one of the field Umpires or emergency field Umpire hears the siren.

So the quarter doesn't come to an end until the umpire hears the siren. Once he heard the siren, he blew his whistle. It was just after the mark. So all good.

[JACKATTACK 17]

I was on Level 2 of the MCC (in front of the coaches box) and, though I could see the clock inside the box, I didn't hear the siren either.

10.4.1 End of Quarter

The Timekeepers shall sound the siren to signal the end of a quarter until a field Umpire acknowledges that the siren has been heard and brings play to an end.

10.4.2 Siren Heard by Field Umpire

Play in each quarter shall come to an end when any one of the field Umpires or emergency field Umpire hears the siren.

So the quarter doesn't come to an end until the umpire hears the siren. Once he heard the siren, he blew his whistle. It was just after the mark. So all good.

Let's get bogged down in detail for a second, split some hairs and forget about the absurdity of what I am arguing:

10.4.2 says to me that the game was finished "when any one of the field Umpires....hears the siren."

Not when they acknowledge that they heard it, but when they actually heard it, and not just the Ump right near the play but any of the others who could be on the wing, including "technically" the one on the bench. Now I was top level, near the front so quite near the siren. The closest field ump was likely well within 100m of me, and that is assuming there wasn't another ump/siren combination that was much closer.

All that considered I am certain that, given the maths, an umpire heard the siren and therefore got the decision wrong. Albeit probably one of many.

[Suzanna 72]

Well, I couldn't hear it either over the noise of the crowd. And as other posters have said, the club songs are too low as well. I suppose the MCG really need to turn it up, it has caused enough drama just because of two teams who won't even make finals - imagine the drama if it happened during finals .

[Dreamin' Demon 10]

I was on the grassy knoll when it all happened

[Einstein 1]

Going by the replay, it is difficult to tell exactly when the siren goes. But on inspection it seems it went simultaneously with McMahon marking the ball.

What is doubtful, is when the siren should have gone. The countdown clock goes off screen with 3 seconds remaining. But if you count 3 seconds down to zero, the siren should have gone just after Tambling kicked the ball. But it doesn't. From what I understand, the TV countdown clock is syncronised with the official game clock.

All very strange.

[Sir Why You Little 35,357]

Time to Ring the M.C.C & find out a solution to all this.

They seem to play ads & Music really Loud but useful things like Sirens & Club songs which we actually want to hear are too low.....WHY?