Was the Brisbane and GWS game on Saturday night the most over-umpired finals game ever?
I couldn’t believe the stat that there were 54 free kicks at the end of the game, 31 to Brisbane and 23 to GWS.
Is that too many?
Did we hear the whistle at every contest in the first half? And in the last quarter, we saw ten free kicks to Brisbane and only one to GWS.
And then there was the warning issued by Shaun Ryan, who intervened after Adam Kennedy pestered Charlie Cameron by grabbing his sore arm.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
“Do not be knocking his arm, OK? You’ve been warned,” the whistle-blower told the GWS player.
“You knock his arm, it’s against the spirit of the game, OK? If you continually knock his arm, I will pay a free kick. You’ve been warned, I’ve told you.”
Is the umpire getting a little to involved in the game? Charlie Cameron didn’t complain to the umpire, so why was the umpire intervening?
According to Law 17.7.1, which is titled Rough Conduct — Spirit and Intention, players shall be “protected from unreasonable conduct from an opposition player which is likely to cause injury”.
Law 17.12 (g), “a free kick shall be awarded against a player who engages in misconduct.”
Was the game held up too much and the natural free-flowing play of the game stopped on to many occasions? Would we have seen a better standard game if the umps kept the whistle in their pockets? Did the umpires blow their whistles way too much?
Macho
Guest
As a follower of all codes you cant compare the brutality in RL (and RU to a much lesser extent) to AFL BTW whens the last time a RL player got sent off for a violent act? And do you really have to go all the way back to 1989 AFL GF to find a brutal act or is that your RL view of the last AFL game you watched...
elvis
Roar Rookie
This not bullying, and trivialises genuine cases where people are genuinely hurt. It's a game where pushing and shoving is part of it. If you have taken the decision to take part in a contact game with an injury it is not up to the umpires to protect you.
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
What are your thoughts on Robertson hitting Whitfield in the back?
Macho
Guest
Lions screwed? I have never seen an AFL game where 3 free kicks in a row to the Lions gets them 150 metres downfield - coincidence they were down 4 goals at the time and when the Lions got even again the Lions biased decisions stopped and the umpiring was a mess (Mumford looks at Martin and its Lions free kick). Made for entertaining game but if we are going down the "must have a close game to stop them reaching for the remote" NRL WWE path then count me out.
Chris
Guest
If we want justice and the right team to go through on the basis of performance in any particular contest, then the umpire must pay free kicks when seen and especially glaringly obvious ones. It doesn't matter who happens to be the beneficiary nor how manyfree kicks the beneficiary has received prior to any moment when a free kick is awarded. A free kick is a free kick.....Period! Favouritism and contrived results should be a thing of the past in the AFL! Let's stop the mocking teams for Finals failures and let's be forthright in having the truly better team on the day receive the spoils. However, if violence is our aim then roll back the clock to 1945 and create Grand Finals like the notorious "Bloodbath" which was described by the press as "the most repugnant spectacle League football has ever known".Better still, let's put some crosswire fencing around the MCG and label it AFL-UFC!
Larrikin
Roar Rookie
i watched this game not supporting either team just wanting a good game of footy but i was stunned at the massive amount of free's given to Brisbane in there forward 50, my count was 6 free's well within the 50 arc for 6 goals. Razor was the worst almost seemed to be wanting to blow the whistle to help Brisbane. If i was a GWS supporter i would be scathing in my comments regarding the abysmal umpiring. So glad they won purely because of the poor umpiring
Raimond
Roar Guru
There's a tacit assumption when you cross that white line. I can't even recall another 'spirit of the game' warning for off-ball niggle, weird stuff.
Chris_S
Roar Rookie
Two comments, Kennedys action was gutless He knew that Cameron could not protect himself. Cameron knew that If he reacts he would give away a free kick Second there are rules on workplace bullying. The AFL is not above the law. What choice does the AFL have? They need to reflect community standards
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
That’s a joke right?
Peter
Guest
Adam Kennedy’s behaviour reminded me of the full-blown assault on Nick Riewoldt’s busted hand a few years ago. Both way off the ball, both intended to exacerbate an injury. Both prime examples of the grubbiness built into Australian Rules. As was deliberately breaking Dermot Brereton’s ribs. No, it’s not “tough” or “manly”. It’s cowardly behaviour that would have you off the field in either rugby code, and so it should.
Phil
Guest
I have no problem with the umpire protesting a player who has a minor injury but is still able to play. He should be allowed to make contact to tackle, contest the ball etc. as normal but if he is deliberately going out of his way to target part of his opponents body which is injured then that is absolutely against the spirit of the game.
Bruce
Guest
I know. I actually feel sorry for the giants. They're going to get screwed over big time...again.
Penster
Roar Guru
Umpires should be seen and not heard. I think Razor is a very good umpire, but the business with protecting Charlie Cameron was over the top. If you're onfield, you're presumed to be fit to play; since when is "knocking an arm" rough conduct? This is not Touch Footy.
madhouse
Roar Rookie
It was a good job that they players put on an excellent display because the umpires did all they could to try and ruin it. Since when have the umpires been allowed to offer coaching advice to players. I long for the day when a player tells Chamberlain shut-up and just stick to his job.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Funny reading the comments about the umpire "commentatory"..... I watched the game from the Pub on Saturday night with no sound. To be honest, I thought the umpiring was pretty fair. I was a little dumb founded with the Double Goal Free in the 1st quarter. The Lions had their chances. They blew them
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Your right about Chamberlain, needs to zip the ego and mouth, he is a blight to the game. Leave the coaches to tell the players what to do. He and his mates had a shocker, how did they not see that blatant throw. Should be axed.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
I didn't mind the decisions, but they were far to involved in general play, they don't need to instruct players on how to play the game, or tell them to leave it if they're scuffling, just blow the whistle if the free is there and shut up for he rest of the time, they're not the footy police. I just get sick of hearing their voices all night long, Razor is a great umpire but he needs to pull his head in a little bit.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I think Razor is one of our best now. He is very accurate and less intrusive but still firm. I love his manner. This wasn't close to over umpired when you look at Matt Stevic's 6 goals worth of choices in the first half, in Hawthorn's favour, in the GF against Freo
Leighton
Guest
The umpires lost some control in the in the first half, but I had no problem with the free kicks. They were there. Our challenge is how we have become used to so many frees being unpaid just so the game 'moves' according to what the AFL wants. The 1989 grand final had 50 free kicks paid.
Timbo's rules
Guest
As the umpires ran out onto the ground they sized up where best to award their free kicks. Giants are ahead by 4 goals, then the impossible happens. An off the ball free 100 metres from play and 25 metre dead in front. Giants did well against some appalling umpiring. A decent performance by the umps compared to last year's semi though. What happens next week. Ugh!