sue

I agree with ViperP that some serious work on the rules would make the umpire's job easier and it should be first cab off the rank whether umps become pros or not. OLD55 is right of course, the desire to be an umpire is far less common than that to be a player. But some have a passion to be involved in football and if they find they'll never be good enough as a player, umpiring might fill that desire. We don't need as many people motivated to be umpires as we need players. We have towards 800 AFL players and need only 27 field umpires a round (in very rough numbers of course).

True, the is no equivalent for umpires. Therefore the AFL should run such a program out of its enormous budget. In any case, many players play for relatively modest sums compared to the stars and are not treated to a golden future by their club's influential supporters. They play for other reasons and do whatever career afterwards they have either planned or fall into. The same could apply to umpires. It may not produce 100% of what is needed, but it would go a long way towards fixing things.

Just treat them the same as say, the second rank of highest paid players. And club sponsored job opportunities for players can be AFL sponsored ones for umpires.

True, but think how much more there would be to be gained if Oliver, Petracca and May were all out! I'll take 4 points regardless.

I wonder how being rubbed out affects the umpire's Brownlow votes when a player does return. They must be tempted to award votes to other players, figuring a vote for X is a wasted vote. So that might increase the chances of that player's teamates winning. I wonder if there is any historical evidence for that, eg a sudden drop off of votes for X followed by a rise for a teamate after X returns.

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Your last sentence highlights where we differ and where you confuse the hard-done by individual umpire with the system they have to work in. I'm not calling for the heads of individual umpires on plates and every decision they make to be analysed after the event in slow motion replays. Nor for outraged criticism of individual decisions like supporters do when a free goes against them (which as you say the biased supporter often gets wrong). My point is that there seems to be no (or extremely little) serious discussion of how umpiring can be improved. If that requires examination of examples of errors, then so be it. Not pointing the finger at the umpire who made the decision, but as to what can be done to prevent/minimise errors in future. Too much of the media is beholden to the AFL corporation, so I'm not holding my breath. Personally I think it's about time the AFL paid the umps as professionals at rates similar to the better players. That will do a lot for your fears about lack of junior and country umpires. (I'll also be surprised if the AFL releases a detailed analysis of to whether an extra umpire has improved things or if a fifth umpire is needed.)

Doubtless they do, but some external analysis and criticism by the 'independent' media might be in order too don't you think? But we never see it. Why?

Your analysis is spot on, but the trouble is there may well be no penalty when the clubs next meet - possibly in the following season. By then the offending player may have been dropped or injured anyway. I'm afraid it's either some form of 'red card' or we just live with it as it is. (I don't mean with the current corrupt decision making of who gets runned out though.)

A pile on is one thing. Analysis and criticism with the aim of improvement of a difficult task is another. But we don't get either. Why?

Well there is no way he gets off. So watch the MRO ping one of our blokes for sneezing on an opponent just to even things up. (Yes I believe in some conspiracies. If you don't about the AFL's machinations, then you a fool to yourself and a burden to others as the great John Clarke said.)

Any thoughts on why Gawn was one of the players just outside the protected zone when Mckay was taking a kick for goal from the boundary? He is too slow to get to him when he played on, so why wasn't he on the goal line in case of a low kick instead? Is it thought his longer body is more likely to affect the kick than a fast smaller player? Or was it just a stuff-up?

I see some discussion about 'loading' arose because someone quoted BT saying players looked like they were running through treacle (or something equally sticky). I wouldn't take any notice of BT's mutterings, let alone get into the loading debate on the back of them. Re Kozzie - I'm no expert on where he should position himself when he is not making silly efforts to take mark of the year. But it seems to me he stands too close to the pack which greatly restricts where he can get to quickly.

Also players who dive onto a pack often grab players who don't have the ball. Why not pay holding the man?

very droll. But I'm happy to murder relatives of people I don't know as well, so watch out.

Sorry to hear that. Such behaviour should not be tolerated, but that is not quite the same level of racism as having 90% of your family murdered as has happened to several people I know. They see racism as being much worse than something you can simply 'give abuse back in return'. You do too I trust.

Doesn't mean that there is a lot of fix. People who have personally never been subjected to racism generally underplay it's significance. Those who have been on the pointy end of racism know where the real lynch mobs are.

Gil's announcement contained many 'odd' sentences, so carefully worded that you wondered what they were hiding. Reminded me of Yes Minister.

Why?

The AFL is using teams like ours and lesser known players to support their defense in future suits from ex-players about head injuries. What they seem to have overlooked is that in those future court cases the ex-players will be able to bring in videos of similar and worse incidents involving some clubs and star players that were overlooked (and also explain why those videos were not allowed to be used by the likes of Hunter). Won't sit well with a jury.

Are any journos pushing this point?

What’s the definition of light or low contact?

https://www.afl.com.au/news/932348/-a-badge-of-honour-dees-skipper-unfazed-by-close-checking Why doesn't King have a go at the umpires who don't pay frees for blocks way off the ball etc etc rather than have a go at players for not escalating actions which are not part of the game.

I thought several years ago the AFL said they would pay frees against duckers for this reason. But it never seems to have happened.