FireInTheBennelly

I guarantee the AFL use Champion Data for these particular statistics, but there's no way in hell they'll ever be in the public domain. You only need to follow the umpires a bit more closely to see what's going on. A couple of years ago one umpire, can't remember which one, absolutely destroyed us for a whole game, on a Sunday afternoon. Next week he was given the Friday night game. Now would you call that some kind of promotion? From the dead slot on Sunday afternoon to primetime tells me the AFL says good job buddy, here's your rewards. Update (Found the match): Round 22 2016 (Sunday 21st August) Vs Carlton. Free kicks Carlton 20 - Melbourne 5. Umpire Brett Rosebury. Umpired Round 23 (Friday 26th) The other 2 umpires next weeks, Andrew Mitchell got Ess Vs Car at the G on Saturday afternoon, and Chris Donlon got Nor Vs GWS Saturday night primetime. I also did some analysis that year that showed if you lose the free kick differential by 13 or more, it was impossible to win the game. -15 in this game, 5 free kicks in total over 4 quarters. The same analysis showed of all the statistics in the modern game the one that had the closest correlation with match wins, was indeed free kicks. The bottom line in that game was if we'd won it, there was the potential for us to leapfrog GWS to get into the finals in the unlikely event we knocked off the Cats in Rnd 23. Which do you think they'd prefer?

There's only one way Mumford will retire again, and it's not a LINE in the sand moment that will do it.

Yeah I'm sorry mate. To somehow suggest because we didn't kick straight we don't deserve free kicks is a bit of a stretch. Yep, we kicked poorly, but surely we're allowed to have another crack at it when our man is knocked out by a dangerous tackle right in front of goal? No? Likewise, just because we didn't kick straight the opposition can't be allowed to clearly throw the ball in the goal square to set up a goal? No? The umps did a great job calling the Oliver throw, good spot. Must've just blinked at the wrong time yeah. Geez this gig is tough! How about Hurn's kick in where he ran almost 30 metres? Yep, Dees can't kick straight, it's their own fault, go for it Hurndawg, bouncing is for [censored]. Each of those 3 calls has impacted the scoreboard in some way. Maybe we fluff the shots, maybe we don't. Doesn't mean we shouldn't be given the opportunity. Keep in mind that's only 3 calls, there were many more. As far as cheating goes, we've been on the end of some horrific umpire performances for the last 10 years, and never have I seen an umpire dropped for their efforts. Suggests to me they're doing exactly what they've been asked to do. Do you own a business with employees? How would you deal with staff that repeatedly turn in poor efforts? 'You're right mate, I know it's hard' will not keep you afloat. You're in the minority for a reason, but you sure are speaking the loudest on this topic. Kudos.

We play them again in round 18. Guarantee when they run onto the field then they'll be thinking 'we've got these weak [censored]' Nobody is suggesting a melee, nobody is suggesting a fight. A clear message needed to be sent that we're a team and we'll stand up for our own. FFS I can't believe people can't understand that. Softest supporter base in the comp. How many went to Jetta after he took Smith out of he game? [censored] off back to your cheese platter if you're not happy with that. Viney on Rance after the Watts incident seems light years ago.

Reckon I know the correct answer to that question but there's someone on here that will dispute it by saying 'Oh but it's just so difficult' 99.9 times out of 100 the umpire will call ball up in that instance. It ended up being the winning move for the game, allowing McG to run free without Smith. It had to be a free kick, at the bare minimum. Play should've been stopped while the tackler was put on report. There were dozens of bad calls in that game, it was borderline match fixing.

I thought it might've been further than that, but that's incredible for the umpires to miss. In that instance almost everybody on the field is watching that 1 player.

Can anyone with access to a replay see how far he actually ran?

Exactly right DV8, but the do-gooder supporters will say but it makes no difference. For the last 15 years (at least) opposition teams have seen the upcoming fixture being Melbourne and thought sweet, I can do whatever I want and get away with it. I hate to say it, but we're still bordering on bruise-free. Sure we go hard at the footy, but we don't show any other form of toughness. Ruthless! That's how you win flags. No, for the muppets, I don't mean violent. Ruthless means standing up for your mates, playing hard (but fair) at ball and man.

Perhaps because the only trick we know is to bomb high and long? At the very least a giant at FF would've made all their defenders more accountable. How many intercept marks did they pull in? Does that happen if they're forced to be more accountable and man Preuss? What if he takes a few grabs early and they have to double team him?

Odd comment. Big difference between bashing someone and standing up for your mate.

Spot on

A lot of the protected area 50s are completely pointless with the kicker looking the other way. That one actually got in the way with the kicker looking to go that direction but having to go back the other. Play on

Ridiculous call. Like I said, that situation happens every game, and the player is NEVER called for holding the ball. Yet ours get's knocked out of the game and pinged. Just 1 in a long line of umpire howlers. We should've picked up at least 3 more 50 metre free kicks in that game, but that clearly wasn't 'allowed'

We can't control what we can't control. Yep we fluffed plenty of chances, but chances shouldn't be taken away. Chances shouldn't be gifted to the opposition incorrectly. My big call: we'll make the 8 comfortably. Petracca needs a kick in the ars.

I can't help but feel he's only going to get better. Great get.

But it's a team game and Vardy's team won. I hated that nobody stood up for Gawn, AGAIN! The mark is in the goal square, give away the 50 to make the point and watch the team walk taller.

Honest question. How often does a player that quite obviously didn't hear the call and stops, gets called for holding the ball? Follow up question. How often does the opposition attempt to hurt that player that has clearly stopped? Second follow up question: Why the absolute [censored] is that not a free kick for a dangerous tackle? Ball goes up the other end for a 12 point play. Then the throw and goal. How much did we lose by? Sure our skills cost us goals, but that's within our control. What isn't in our control is the rubbish umpire calls. These weren't the only bad crucial calls. Make no mistake where this game was lost.

I see Wagner has been given the Lewis role.

I thought that was the case. I recall Hickey being the ruck in the infamous 'straight arm' free kick game where the umps slaughtered Maxy to the point he almost gave up. This doesn't bode well.

Was it Hickey at the Saints that always used to towel Maxy up?

Knew it would happen. Let's see our reaction.

This is the site you're after for umpires CMWYW http://aflua.com.au/umpire-appointments/

Bring in Preussy and it'll be raining goals for the Dees DV8

At least the 6:30 news will be long done before the game is

Who blinks first? IN: T. Hickey or IN: B. Preuss