Forward umpires 'hate' most

[cherub]

Correct on all counts, Wolftone. Is Crown Betting Packer's company? Is that the one where Demetriou got a directorship straight after he left the AFL?
The possibilities for corruption at all levels are simply mind-boggling.

[wolftone57]

Buddy does get a raw deal. The umpires are told not to give him frees. That was an issue that came up after 2008 when he kicked 100. Apparently the rumour was that a memo went out to the umpires to play hard-ball with him because he plays for frees. Nobody ever admitted it happened but the press had lots of fun with it. The truth is all players play for frees but most don't get scragged the way he does. Lonigan was literally bear hugging the man on the weekend but Nichol couldn't see it 'I didn't see the holding Bud'. Even Blind Freddy saw the holding Matthew, you need a bloody guide dog.

But what is more concerning are the frees that shouldn't be paid against and the dreadful umpiring decisions like the 8 metre kicks being allowed. Rohan's running too far was an unbelievably bad decision. The two 50 metre penalties were technically wrong because the umpires were too slow to order play on in both cases. Both players went off their line and in the Rampe case the player had handballed before Rampe moved. The umpire was not just technically wrong he was outright wrong and it was Nichol on every occasion. I wrote that seeing the AFL is now indebted to Crown Betting are they susceptible to corruption? To have links to a betting agency that tenuously has links to organised crime is unforgivable. The AFL, a sporting governing body, should NEVER have links to gambling because their honesty will always be in doubt.

[Mel_C]

Can anyone remember if Buddy received the same treatment whilst at Hawthorn or is it only since he came to Sydney? I think it wouldn't matter which club he played for but I may be wrong.

If you listen to Hawthorn supporters they say that Buddy has it easier now !

[cherub]

Try his weekend press conference for starters. He was whinging about not getting the "rub-of-the-green" (Lyon code for "we didn't get enough frees") and the playing surface which both teams had to deal with. Fair enough if he wants to raise it behind the scenes but I find him incredibly ungracious in both victory and defeat.

I also wouldn't put Lyon in the whinger class. Freo lost the free kick count 24-10, and there were some glaring non-calls when they deserved a free kick. Lyon is a smart man, and I enjoy some of his press conferences where he doesn't put up with rubbish from journalists who a trying to promote their own agenda. His comments on the surface were really an attempt to support Nat Fyfe with his tripping charge. If the same thing happened to one of our players, I would hope Horse would do the same. For Olympic class whinging , reference the Scott Bros or Buckley ( and maguire).

[Ampersand]

Probably wouldnt have put Lyon in that bracket personally. His mantra is no excuses, not worrying about who is out injured, where they are playing etc. But might have forgotten some examples..

Try his weekend press conference for starters. He was whinging about not getting the "rub-of-the-green" (Lyon code for "we didn't get enough frees") and the playing surface which both teams had to deal with. Fair enough if he wants to raise it behind the scenes but I find him incredibly ungracious in both victory and defeat.

[Plugger46]

Buddy gets a far better run with the umpires than Plugger or Hall used to get.

[Industrial Fan]

People will always think full forwards get a raw deal. The reality is that 1) forwards will always be more inclined than defenders to push the rules of a marking contest because giving away a free is not as costly given the field position and 2) like it or not, I do think umpires adjust their adjudications (even subconciously) based on where on the field the ball is. Giving a FF a 50/50 free that results in a gimme goal will result in far more scrutiny and outrage than incorrectly calling play on or paying the same free in the centre square.

At the end of the day, I think the Swans players and coaches (rightly) focus on what they can control - delivering to advantage, strong contested marking and roving. I can't stand coaches like Lyons and Buckley who whinge about field conditions, rules or umpires, which both teams ultimately have to deal with.

Probably wouldnt have put Lyon in that bracket personally. His mantra is no excuses, not worrying about who is out injured, where they are playing etc. But might have forgotten some examples..

[Ampersand]

People will always think full forwards get a raw deal. The reality is that 1) forwards will always be more inclined than defenders to push the rules of a marking contest because giving away a free is not as costly given the field position and 2) like it or not, I do think umpires adjust their adjudications (even subconciously) based on where on the field the ball is. Giving a FF a 50/50 free that results in a gimme goal will result in far more scrutiny and outrage than incorrectly calling play on or paying the same free in the centre square.

At the end of the day, I think the Swans players and coaches (rightly) focus on what they can control - delivering to advantage, strong contested marking and roving. I can't stand coaches like Lyons and Buckley who whinge about field conditions, rules or umpires, which both teams ultimately have to deal with.

[ScottH]

A fairer comparison would be frees for and against that are not paid, when they should be.

Buddy does give a lot of silly frees away, as do many other forwards.

[liz]

Can anyone remember if Buddy received the same treatment whilst at Hawthorn or is it only since he came to Sydney? I think it wouldn't matter which club he played for but I may be wrong.

Don't think anything has changed for Buddy. He got a raw deal at Hawthorn and he still gets a raw deal. Thankfully he's good enough that it doesn't really slow him down too much.

[YvonneH]

Can anyone remember if Buddy received the same treatment whilst at Hawthorn or is it only since he came to Sydney? I think it wouldn't matter which club he played for but I may be wrong.

[jetts32]

Difference between Buddy/Longmire and Cloke/Buckley?

Buddy and Longmire don't make those excuses and still get results.

[Conor_Dillon]

Yeh I watched that interview with Bucks and the first thing that popped to mind was 'someone get Nathan some footage of Buddy being harassed'. Cloke's treatment is extremely favourable in comparison.

[YvonneH]

Nathan Buckley had a go at the umpires last week about Travis Cloke not getting enough free kicks paid to him.
An article in the paper today had a chart that puts that in the 'rumour' category.

The chart shows that Drew Petrie is the most 'liked' by the umpires and that BUDDY is their least favourite forward, getting the least amount of free kicks for and the most paid against.

Maybe they should tell us something that we don't know.