Dame Gaga

Yes I realize we mean nothing to the AFL, but I also thought wasn't it strange these two umpires made poor decisions which benefited the Eagles. Makes you wonder where their loyalties lie. Combine that with inexperience (did you notice Glouftis was the controlling umpire at one stage in the last quarter and the other umpire made a decision in favour of West Coast? Couldn't even see him in the frame of the TV coverage. How far away was he? Obviously doesn't trust her to make a decision by herself because she has only umpired a few games) and Melbourne are on the back foot every time. I'm sick of it.

So Glouftis was dropped in May this year following a string of poor decisions, including two crucial errors in the St Kilda v WEST COAST clash which resulted in two goals to the EAGLES. In 2017 Donlon gave a controversial decision when he awarded a free kick to Luke Shuey which then saw him kick the winning goal for the EAGLES after the siren against Port. The following week he wasn't given any finals games despite being an experienced umpire of over 200 games officiated. These are the umpires which are sent to officiate the Alice game. Thanks a lot AFL. No quality for a team like the lowly Melbourne.

Max crucified by bad umpiring AGAIN. He took possession of the ball and gets accused of dragging it in. BULLDUST!!!!!!!!!!!

Why don't our forwards get a free kick when they are clearly being held, umpire?

I just want to see these Eagles trip over their inflated egos.

Nice one Clarry.

The booing Eagles fans have made the trip to the Alice. Plus no holding the ball rule anymore. And what is is with these marks and non marks?

Good endeavour so far.

I just feel bad for the younger people I know who dared to dream and committed to the guaranteed Grand Final ticket membership package this year. Now they are stuck with it, no matter where Melbourne end up on the ladder, every year. They put their faith in the club when they saw the signs of finally the good times were coming. Little did they know how the club can promise so much and deliver so little. It really is soul destroying for all fans but especially for the younger ones who didn't know any better. Following Melbourne hands you some difficult life lessons. I hope there is improvement next year, or there may be many disillusioned young fans, and they are not the kind who bother to fill out member surveys, or let the club know about their dissatisfaction. They just lose interest in the club altogether.

Whenever anyone at the AFL refer to positive feedback from the public I think they point to the attendances at games and TV viewing to justify this statement. What they don't realize is that people are loyal to their clubs and they love football. Also Victoria's population growth is booming and this could be a factor in bigger crowds. People will love their team and football no matter what. It doesn't mean everyone is happy with what the AFL is doing simply by looking at the amount of people who continue to support their teams and attend the matches. The AFL are deluding themselves if the fans are giving them the seal of approval by doing this. The fans support their teams. There is no team called AFL.

Ablett, Selwood, DangerEgo, etc, must NOT be tackled!! This is an unwritten rule which must be made official.?

European Handball, anyone?

What the flying fig is he talking about? The game is difficult enough to adjudicate right now with all these open to interpretation rules and he wants to make it even harder for umpires. He brings up this idea that excessive tackling is a feature of the game now, but offers no solution or idea to how he intends to achieve his aim of reducing this. He sounds like a politician who throws out a thought about a likely policy for his party before the next election to test public opinion, and if there is an uproar, it will quietly disappear. Just like how the night Grand Final is mentioned every year. Fiddle, fiddle, fiddle.

At the Family Day earlier this year I overheard someone mention to Trac something about his goal kicking action and he did not take it very well. He positively bristled. I got the impression it was a sensitive issue and he does not take on advice well. Some players need to be handled differently. If someone like Fev, who always acted a bit arrogantly and as a know all, was able to heed advice and be open to coaching in order to be a better goal kicker is surprising, but shows there is hope for any player. They only need to find the right person to get through to Trac to help him maybe? It could be lack of confidence or stubbornness holding him back. I heard some commentators ( I can't remember who) discussing his routine for set shots on goals. They noticed he had a different routine every time, as though he was always trying different things. He hasn't yet found one that is successful for him. If he does, surely confidence in himself that he can do it (kick the goal) will fall into place? There must be a solution, and it seems it is in coaching.

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know why the Dogs got a warning for having 7 men in position, in regards to the new 666 rule. Shouldn't Melbourne have been awarded a free kick for that infringement? To be honest , I don't understand this rule. Can someone tell me why it was only a warning?

This is what makes our game so difficult to umpire and the knock on effect is frustration for footballers and supporters alike. And anger. These words are so loose in meaning they can be interpreted in any which way. They are as clear as mud. What one person considers an infringement of one of these rules will be deemed as fine by another, they are so vague. How do you interpret UNDULY ? - The word UNDULY means 'to an unwarranted degree; inordinately.' How can this be decided on in a split second, between different physical types of bodies in a ruck contest? This is so open to interpretation as well. What one person deems as unduly is okay by another. HOLDS or blocks an opposition ruck. - Nearly every ruck contest I see around the ground ( not the center bounce) has the two ruckmen holding on to each other. So why aren't free kicks paid every time this happens? Because the game will never progress! Free kicks will reach unbelievable numbers. Football is a physical and contact sport. Umpires need to understand this. They should also not punish someone who is good at their craft. Consistency is the key. We need someone to come out of AFL House or wherever they hide nowadays and clarify what players can do and cannot do in football today. Confusion reigns. Something has changed in the way the game is being adjudicated now and everyone needs to know what the heck it is.

Just thinking about the need for another rebuild is making me depressed.

Goal Kicking - Practice Practice Practice !!! Clean Disposal - Practice Practice Practice !!! Correct Decision Making - Learn Learn Learn !!! MFC Players - Get S#*t Together Umpires - Stop Paying S#*t Bulldogs Supporters - Stop Your Whinging 2020 - Live In Hope? P. S. Max - There Goes Brownlow (Umpires don't like you)

Lucky it wasn't a strait jacket. I think that's where I might end up watching these games.

I talked about this on the post game. I am worried about his welfare. He has suffered multiple concussions and I was reading some info on what effect these have on a person's mental health. Neuroscientists have discovered they can produce new feelings of anxiety and increase or renew existing feelings of anxiety. We do not know what these concussions have done to his mental state. I too feel he has lost his confidence and love of the game. I'm not saying this is true but it is just an observation. I hope he is being looked after and we do not read about his problems in the future.

Yes I'm worried about him as well. He doesn't look like the same person as last year. I worry his multiple concussions have affected him adversely. I looked up some info on what these can do to a person. Neuroscientists are discovering concussions can cause new anxiety and can worsen existing anxiety. Concussions can have long term consequences to mental health. This is not a good sign. I hope MFC are looking after him, or we will be hearing about his troubles in the future.

Dalgleish should stay in Perth and continue to umpire poorly over there. No idea.

I don't know how after watching this game. Must have been an aberration. Plus it was at Marvel Stadium. The pussycats don't like leaving their patch.

BT frothing at the mouth saying Bulldogs are building momentum. What the hell? They are rubbish. They won't do anything in the finals, IF they make it. Melbourne were worse. Threw this game away with poor kicking for goal, again.

NO NO NO!! DO NOT HANDPASS when a kick out of danger is needed.