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I’ve only been able to watch my beloved Collingwood and a handful of other games so far this AFL season, but just these glimpses have brought me so much frustration I have been forced to write this article.
This season, Collingwood fans have lived up to traits that our opposing supporters might hold us to – something along the lines of yelling and screaming through a couple of teeth.
You may have heard or lamely said this before yourself.
The myth that you might believe certainly hasn’t been helped by the terrible umpiring that several followers of the game have noted.
It’s true that umpiring is ruining the game.
Below the knees, holding the ball and – worst of all – 50-metre penalties.
To put it simply, it’s been a joke to watch.
There are so many examples of these unnecessary free kicks being paid that supporters are used to quickly screaming then moving on because they know that bad umpiring decisions are now just a part of the game.
Well, no.
As a big professional competition, umpiring needs to be better than this.
I don’t want to leave a complaint without a solution or suggestion.
AFL footy ops boss Steve Hocking must undertake a review of these specific rules immediately.
(Photo by Scott Barbour/AFL Media/Getty Images)
All he has to do is listen to the people.
Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield tweeted: “contact below the knees… absolute disgrace.”
Now remember, he is the president of the AFL Players Association.
Former Collingwood footballer Adam Oxley, who played 32 games for the Pies before being delisted this season, also tweeted: “umpires have lost the plot”.
Sitting on the top level of the MCG on Saturday night, you could even see Scott Pendlebury’s deep frustration when a 50-metre penalty was paid against team-mate Jaidyn Stephenson for giving the ball to Tom Phillips, as he thought it was his free kick.
This shows that players now don’t even know whose free kick it is.
You see it every round. Players are unaware.
And from the fans, Hocking could just scroll down his Twitter feed to see the complaints.
Before anyone comments about Collingwood supporters sulking about the weekend’s loss to West Coast, guess what?
West Coast deserved the win.
They played better for longer. Collingwood dominated the first quarter and struggled from there onwards.
It will be our turn next week for a good four-quarter effort.
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