Watching tonight a couple of things strike me......

Richmond aren't up to it... no doubt

The umpires won't change the result... no doubt

But

When you are not quite right and struggling for form the dodgy guesses of the officials go heavily against you

I'm just hoping I'm proved wrong on Saturday

I actually think the umpiring has been good tonight.

they have let a lot go and been less likely to blow the whistle and let the players actually fight it out.

NEWSFLASH: Footy-Watcher Upset With Umpires. Tomorrow's weather: Hell likely to freeze-over . . . not.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I would consider myself pretty good at figuring out what free-kicks are going to be payed and which are not, and I'm still not having too much trouble. But it sure does suck when you're teams on the comeback and gets stopped in its' tracks by a momentum-shifting umpire error; like that Eddie Betts "mark."

Tigers had over double the number of frees paid to them. Hardly a crucifixion.

umpire error; like that Eddie Betts "mark."

Haha i was watching the game with a friend of mine, who's a richmond supporter, and he was not happy about that. But seriously, pay the man in front, isn't that rules 101?

Haha i was watching the game with a friend of mine, who's a richmond supporter, and he was not happy about that. But seriously, pay the man in front, isn't that rules 101?

Should have been a ball up instead it was a... wait for it... 'balls up'.

Tigers had over double the number of frees paid to them. Hardly a crucifixion.

23 to 18 in Richmond's favour.

Agree. Hardly a crucifixion. Hard game to umpire where skills were rather slipshod and some of the tackling questionable.

Waiting for hell to freeze over!!

I didnt see the game but my view on frees is that it is not necessarily how many you get but where you get them as opposed to your opposition.

For many years it seemed Melbourne seemed to get paid frees ok but they were in the back half and whoever we played seemed to get them in the forward 50 so this would tend to see them score more from frees than us.

I still believe we are on the wrong end of the stick when it comes to frees a lot of the time but what can you do??? The umps aint gonna change their minds cos the crowd dont like what they rule. Nice if they did but it isnt going to happen.

As long as they are consistent you dont mind so much but when its one rule for one team and another for your opponent, then you have cause tobe disgruntled.

Getting wound up over umpiring is just a waste of energy. I realised a long time ago that if your team is good enough, then you will win the premiership. End of story. Ever notice how the best team doesnt seem to worry about the umpires very much? Very very rarely do umpires affect the result of a game, and even less often can they be blamed on a premiership outcome.

Getting wound up over umpiring is just a waste of energy. I realised a long time ago that if your team is good enough, then you will win the premiership. End of story. Ever notice how the best team doesnt seem to worry about the umpires very much? Very very rarely do umpires affect the result of a game, and even less often can they be blamed on a premiership outcome.

I find it ironic that the umpires have OPSM plastered over their backs!

I thought the umpiring was good for the first time in a lonnnng time, and I was going for Richmond.

The Betts mark was an easy mistake, umpire was on the wrong side and even I thought Eddie took a ripper in real time.

I can only dream that our game is umpired to that standard, because I agree, for a struggling team, bad decisions put a huge dent in any momentum you're desperately trying to build.

Edited March 26, 201015 yr by Deestroy All