8 hours ago, Hellish Inferno said:

For that Ben Brown decision the ump said "You cannot push him off the ball and then go back for the ball."

I don't quite get the logic. So if he pushed him off but didn't contest the ruck contest it would be ok? Where does the rule state that you can't use strength to push off someone, not in the back or holding on excessively, as part of a ruck or marking contest??

I believe there are degrees of pushing HI. Perhaps the blind umpire thought the push was excessive, particulary given Brown's flailing arms and Nureyev-like pirouette

Edited April 13, 20196 yr by Moonshadow

4 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Quite bizarre that whole decision 

The AFL's entire approach to umpiring & adjudication is bizarre.

 

8 hours ago, Hellish Inferno said:

For that Ben Brown decision the ump said "You cannot push him off the ball and then go back for the ball."

I don't quite get the logic.

I had a look at the rules about that.

There are no rules about that.

Rant on: The latest published rules that I have found are from 2017. And those you can't even get from the AFL web site.  You have to get them from a thing called the "AFL community" web site. The AFL site is so light on in terms of rules & umpiring it is worse than bizarre, it is a disgrace. There are parts of their web site that can't even be accessed unless it is with a search. Such as, the "interpretations" section. (The fact that "interpretations" even exist is another example of the AFL's sloppy approach to adjudication.) And those interpretations are for the 2017 season. The AFL obviously don't actually care about this. Example: 6/6/6 is a rule which if breached results in a free. But it's not in the official published rules. Pathetic. Rant off.

The 2017 rules do not mention this particular ruck situation. If you "unduly" push him off the ball, it's a free. Otherwise, play on. Nothing about "going back for the ball". (And incidentally, the word "unduly" appears twice in the rules but nowhere is it defined. Useless.)

This appears to be one of the worst examples of "interpretations" in that it's not even documented. We're back to the bad old days of rules that exist only in someone's head.

This year looks like the worst year for umpiring in quite a while. Watching our games, I thought it might just be me overreacting based on our lousy start to the season. When you're desperate for a win, every contest looks like a free to MFC. But watching other games ... throwing rampant, "protected zone" no longer exists, short kicks ... a lot of grappling off the ball (Nev could be umpired out of the game but he's far from the only one doing it).

 

The AwFuL have shown their priorities. Cartoon movies and toys aimed at 15 year olds now take clear priority over a fairly and well adjudicated competition. They might as well get it over with and bin the umps and have Marvel®©™  characters running around giving out frees randomly. It wouldn't make much difference.

11 hours ago, Demonland said:

We're officially off the bottom. 

Can you find another version of the ladder that doesn't look as if we are 1 and 4?

Excellent post @Mazer Rackham Keep in mind that the AwFuL don't actually want people to be able to find the rules, the real ones, as then there exists a metric to judge by.

All about keeping the sporting proletariat confused.

I'm sure a lot is just made up on the fly... according to the vibe of the game and the the whimsy of over participant umpires.

Last year I searched for the rules and had a similar experience to Mazer R.  It's an absolute disgrace.   Normally people say in a choice between a conspiracy and a stuff-up, choose the latter.  But hiding the rules of a game is so mind-boggingly unlikely as a stuff up, you have to wonder.  About time one of our so-called sporting journos at least drew attention to this.

I have the official rules for the years 2015, 2016, 2017. They also exist for 2013 and 2014. I can't find any published before that but haven't looked all that hard.

In 2017 there was also an adjunct "interpretations" section on the AFL consisting of short videos showing how certain situations would be "interpreted". Many of them weren't in the rules.

In 2018, nothing at all.

In 2019, the updated "rules" consist of a press release on the AFL web site. (Again, which can only be found with a search.)

It's not only strange that this sport needs its rules updated so frequently, but the very existence of "interpretations" shows how sloppily worded the published rules are. And this year's effort (if it can be described as such) shows the AFL's deep commitment to strong adjudication of their "product" (to use the correct marketing term).

The Norf game was manipulated to the extreme. Could not have them 0-4 going into Good Friday as Gil's bonus based on attendances might be affected.

2 hours ago, Skuit said:

Can you find another version of the ladder that doesn't look as if we are 1 and 4?

AFL website has 1 games played  and the points then % then with wins and losses which could be left out along with for and against!

2 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Excellent post @Mazer Rackham Keep in mind that the AwFuL don't actually want people to be able to find the rules, the real ones, as then there exists a metric to judge by.

All about keeping the sporting proletariat confused.

I'm sure a lot is just made up on the fly... according to the vibe of the game and the the whimsy of over participant umpires.

that number 10 maggot has a very worrying look on his face a lot of the time. And where is razor when we need him.

I thought Lynch Richmond could only get a second shot on goal if the infringement occurs after the umpire has called “all clear”. 

Doesnt look like enough time. 

Goddard calls out Brown on flopping for frees:  " ...just stand up and play like a man".  Ouch, Ouch!! 

Not a fan of Goddard but good on him for calling Brown out albeit rather brutally.

There are enough umpires on the ground to keep an eye on Brown who is a serial offender. 

Edited April 14, 20196 yr by Lucifer's Hero

Loving Luke Hodge's commentary.  Finaly someone to comment on the technical aspects of the game, like how teams setup their zone and stuff.  I'm watching St Kilda v Hawthorn just to be educated by Hodge about the finer points of the game.  

Scoring has to be at a low for the afl era, surely?

GC17-Carltank another low scoring snoozer

W....What?

No "wowee" ?

No "gee whiz" ?

No growling and fawning?

No entertainment factor?

How did this guy get on TV? Does he know someone?

Off current topic but I have been watching Suns V Blues. It's like watching an under 12's game.  Seriously poor skills from both sides generally. Young Sam Walsh is going to be a champion however.

7 minutes ago, ProperDee said:

Off current topic but I have been watching Suns V Blues. It's like watching an under 12's game.  Seriously poor skills from both sides generally. Young Sam Walsh is going to be a champion however.

Was about to post this.... I was going to head down and watch this game glad I decided against it, really poor skill level from both sides 

St Kilda are hot garbage.  Must belt them next week.

Blues lose....what a crying shame. 

When does Bolton lose his job must be getting close 

Haha ? Carlscum

how utterly tragic....

Gotta love watching Carltank snatch defeat from the jaws of victory ?

You want to see a bad umpiring watch the mark not paid to Blues with one minute to go. Seriously some of the umpiring very poor. Terrible game but what odds would you have got that Suns would be equal ladder leader. Mind you incredibly soft draw but a win a win

Note to Dees: Hawks bombing to hotspot, and being rope doped by the Saints.  How are we planning to enter i50 next week?

Dean Kent look unfit. Puffing like a locomotive

Good free kick you can’t just fall on the ground. Sicily is the biggest whinger going round.