Umpires

[midaro]

How much of the last two weeks has been because of the umpires?

Just interested in opinions.

[swans_premiers]

Didn't see the game last week but we still would have lost this week regardless of the umpires.

We're just not hungry enough.

[bloodboy]

Whilst I will agree that I have seen a lot of bad decisions in the last two weeks, we are losing at the moment because we are playing poorly. I think the free kick count today was justified seeing as though Port had so much of the footy. They really should have towelled us up by 10 goals today. Maybe that is a faint positive to come out of the first two games - the fact that we are playing absolutely woefully and still only losing by 5 goals. It makes me hopeful that when the boys click in to gear that we will really get rolling.

[ScottH]

S_P and Bloodboys, have answered the qn. Whilst we are on the wrong side of a lot of decisions, it's becoz we are not first to the ball and are being caught behind far too often.

[sydneyswans1989]

i cant remember his name but the umpire with the white hat made a few bad calls throughout the game that cost us a few goals but in saying that we still would have lost because port were first to the footy, they were going in hard & had alot more run.

[stellation]

The umpire in the hat was #15 Matthew Nicholls.

[dimelb]

Agree with those on the game thread who have said that Roos needs to speak to the umpires/Gieschen/whoever. The umpiring is so inconsistent that I think Leo, particularly, is confused and uncertain about doing anything. Granted some of the frees were warranted, but if they were, so were the ones we didn't get at the other end.
Still no excuse for a poor showing today.

[Refried Noodle]

The free kick count was 5-14 at half time and I think it was about 9-19 at 3/4 time. Pathetic really, so many soft free's both ways.

Likely 3/4 time chat at umpires huddle:

"Hmm we've given alot to Port, but they've got the game won anyway so let's give a few soft free's for Sydney so we won't get criticised in the press."

And that's what happened.

16-20 in the end from 9-19.

[dendol]

Originally posted by dimelb
Agree with those on the game thread who have said that Roos needs to speak to the umpires/Gieschen/whoever. The umpiring is so inconsistent that I think Leo, particularly, is confused and uncertain about doing anything. Granted some of the frees were warranted, but if they were, so were the ones we didn't get at the other end.
Still no excuse for a poor showing today.

Roos has no leg to stand on this week in regard to the umpiring. Fix our players, get them competitive again before doing the whinge at Geischen.

[Nico]

Originally posted by dimelb
Agree with those on the game thread who have said that Roos needs to speak to the umpires/Gieschen/whoever. The umpiring is so inconsistent that I think Leo, particularly, is confused and uncertain about doing anything. Granted some of the frees were warranted, but if they were, so were the ones we didn't get at the other end.
Still no excuse for a poor showing today.

Come off it Leo is always confused.

His work the last 2 weeks has been simply pitiful. He hangs on pushes in the back etc etc etc. He should have no axe to grind with the umps, instead he should have a real good look at his highlights/lowlights (mostly the latter). Because right now he is no hero but a feather duster. His decision making is a disgrace.

20 metres clear on his left, whoops better backtrack and find a bloke to dodge around instead of kicking upfield, look at me everyone I can dodge really well, and see how I can break a tackle, now if I can just get around this next one I will look really good, yep did you like that one folks, now handball to draw the player, awe crap missed the target by 5 metres, goal to my man I ran off, doesn't matter they all love me. Fair dinkum you would think my team mates could read my play by now. Well suppose I better trot over to pick up my man. Not my fault I am such a team player I keep trying to bring my mates into the game but they just keep on letting me down. No one criticises a captain.

[Mike_B]

Thought Hatman was terrible today, simply because of the inconsistency. The umpiring was most definitely not the reason we lost though.

The bigger concern for me is the way that defenders in general cannot do anything these days without being pinged for a free kick. I don't understand how defenders are meant to spoil without making some contact over the shoulder as their arm comes down - make the call based on a genuine attempt to spoil vs chopping the arms with no attempt at the ball, instead of any contact over the shoulder going to the forward. LRT got called for a couple of these today, in return nothing for us, but he made a genuine spoiling attempt and as his arm came down the contact was incidental.

[swans4ever]

grrr hate the umpires! but the last 2 weeks we wouldn't of probably won if the umpires were better because today port played a great game but there were some shocking decisions that could have made the game turn around a little, i just hate the fact that they aren't consistent

what is with the holding the ball rule, we seemed to tackle but never get free kicks for the hardwork, & also pushing in the back- how many times were they allowed to push us but we were not allowed to push them

[FredFlintstone]

What is with the 50m's penalties given today? Is that a record for one match?

[Benevolent Ert]

Umpires were crap today

But the players were worse

[desredandwhite]

You make your own luck. Play in front, go for the ball.

If you are in front in the contest and genuinely going for the ball, you're much much less likely to give away a push, OTS, or HTM.

[Legs Akimbo]

It does appear to me that Leo Barry is seriously being targetted by the maggots. Both this week and last week he has copped some terrible decisions.

[cruiser]

Originally posted by FredFlintstone
What is with the 50m's penalties given today? Is that a record for one match? They're being paid because of that new rule. Sydney players must remember to let go of the marking player as soon as the ump blows his whistle awarding the mark.

I agree that the umpiring was crap and that the last quarter they really did appear to be trying to even the frees up, but regardless Sydney played utter crap footy for three quarters and were flattered by the final score. WOEFUL!!!

[robamiee]

I agree we would ahve lost today regardless,
however in your mind set, when you look at the goals in the first quarter 60% were from frees it can throw you..

Last week in believe we never in the hunt purely because of the umpiring in the first quarter.
How many goals from frees last week, it was more than 50% of their goal tally including the 1st quarter.
Thats what set up the win for the bombers. Hard to chase a team down when the umpires give soft frees in front of goal.

The rules ahve become so rediculous(bad spelling i know)
that soon it will nopt be a contact sport. I dont mind if they give them but hell we seem to not get them in our forward line.
Barry Hall constantly is pretty much mugged at the contest but cant buy a free kick.

[tez]

Today we were lacking in committment and were out everhthinged. We played from behind and spent the
day chasing. Despite the crappy umpiring we did not
deserve to win.

[SMFC]

Its happening in the state league in Victoria as well, the VFL.

The game I saw today was pitiful. Its not so much the umpires I can blame, its the rules and scope they have to apply them...

Never have I agreed so much with a rival team supporters that our own teams were getting some @@@@eful decisions.

The AFL is so f'n soccer-paranoid they might as well put nets up behind the goals, get a round ball and some coloured cards for the ump and joined them. Soccer has them completely bluffed.

[Sanecow]

The umpires have been irritating but not nearly as irritating as the lacklustre performances from many of the players. I find that I am less annoyed with the crappy calls in rounds 1 and 2 than I have been in previous years where the players have tried their guts out and been belted by poor decisions.

[giant]

There were several decisions from yesterday that I simply didn't understand - I mean I could not have given an explanation to anyone what they may have been for. Which considering I've been playing & watching the game for 30+ years is a tad disconcerting.

As always, the opposition frees/50m penalties seemed to inevitably result in goals - even then Port missed a few goals from soft frees as well.

[Wardy]

Yes the umpiring was inconsistent - However the Port players were wearing the Swans like a second skin - yet the Swans just couldnt do likewise - They have to Man up, quit with the handball to players who are clearly under pressure & and how about trying to kick long down the corridor - it works for the opposition. And if they kick backwards one more time - UGGGHHHHHHH!

[wyatt]

Originally posted by Legs Akimbo
It does appear to me that Leo Barry is seriously being targetted by the maggots. Both this week and last week he has copped some terrible decisions. I think Leo is now being exposed for what he truly is - a great half-back who admirably held down the full-back position primarily by using great body work and speed against much taller and heavier opponents. But let's face it, the techniques he used weren't always strictly legal. Now that the umps are cracking down on minor infringements against the backs (jumper grabbing & arm chopping), it's time to give up the experiment, send Leo back to HBF, and blood a new boy with a view to the future at full back (Vogels, Grundy).