Milne and OBrien investigation

[howlinwolf]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/a ... 6446257073

Interesting.....

[howlinwolf]

A bit more here..

St Kilda Saints quizzed on Stephen Milne 'abuse'
BY: PATRICK SMITH From: The Australian August 09, 2012 12:00AM


THE AFL continues to investigate an exchange between St Kilda's Stephen Milne and Collingwood's Harry O'Brien during Saturday's match, which saw the small forward give away a 50m penalty for abusing an opponent.

The AFL's integrity officer, Brett Clothier, has interviewed players and officials this week following a report of the incident by field umpire Dean Margetts.

While it is not believed the incident involves any racial vilification, Margetts's report was deemed troubling enough to pull Clothier, the AFL's head investigator, away from a high-profile inquiry into claims by former Melbourne player Brock McLean that the club tanked matches to gain superior draft picks.

The AFL's general manager of football operations, Adrian Anderson, told The Australian last night: "I can confirm that the AFL is investigating an incident between Stephen Milne and Harry O'Brien and the league will continue further talks with St Kilda today." He would not elaborate.


But sources have told The Australian that, while the exchange between Milne and O'Brien was not of a racial nature and the word "rapist" was not used, the AFL continues to consider the incident serious and worthy of further investigation.

The incident happened in the third quarter after Milne gave away a free kick to Collingwood's Darren Jolly for high contact. In the aftermath, Milne and O'Brien exchanged words and Milne was penalised 50m for abuse.

St Kilda lost the match and perhaps its last chance to win a final eight position by six points. The desperate finish saw Milne penalised for striking the arms of O'Brien as the Collingwood defender sat under the ball preparing to mark it barely 30m from St Kilda's goal.

The ball fell free and St Kilda's David Armitage would have had the opportunity to level the scores had Milne not been penalised.

The free kick to O'Brien allowed Collingwood to thwart St Kilda's final thrust. But the AFL umpire department has since ruled that the free kick was paid in error and Milne's attempt to knock the ball clear of O'Brien was fair.

The AFL continues to investigate claims that Melbourne Football Club under coach Dean Bailey contrived to lose matches to ensure it had the best possible picks in the draft. The probe is said to have broadened since Clothier's initial interview with McLean last week. Anderson would not comment on the inquiry's status.

It follows comments from McLean on Fox football show On the Couch, where he suggested Melbourne did not always play to win. "When I sat down with Dean Bailey and made my decision (to leave), I brought that up with him. I told him what I really thought. We were both on the same page. I really felt for 'Bails' because he was put in a difficult position. I was part of the leadership group ... We spoke among ourselves, and said: 'We just have to ... toe the line, reinforce what the coaches are saying, not let Chinese whispers get into something bigger'." The mid-fielder, now in good form for Carlton, said it was the reason he left Melbourne.

[mcadam05]

hmmm wonder what Harry 'O said to get such a response from Milne , but I would find it hard to believe that Harry 'O can do anything wrong

[Dr Spaceman]

While it is not believed the incident involves any racial vilification, Margetts's report was deemed troubling enough to pull Clothier, the AFL's head investigator, away from a high-profile inquiry into claims by former Melbourne player Brock McLean that the club tanked matches to gain superior draft picks.

Is the AFL trying to tank the tank?

[dragit]

This just gets better and better... We have had a match taken away from us by poor umpiring, yet we are still coming out as villains.
You'd reckon margettes has done enough already, clearly his decision making was impaired by his 'upset' over what Milne has said. Or was it just a coincidence that Obrien received a free every time Milne went near him?

[howlinwolf]

Kevin Bartlett said that Collingwood were not happy so it seems it is more than what offended Margetts.

[bigcarl]

So nasty Milne said the wrong thing.

Let's make sure they don't win by giving a free against Milne every time he touches it.

[SaintPav]

What do you expect with a surname like Marggets.

[gringo]

What the f can you say that's not racist and not rapist. If he said something so serious that it's got the AFL in huff, it must have been either religious or homophobic. I hope if he called O Brien something homophobic they take the matter as seriously as they took Malthouse and Milne and have the two parties shake hands and say sorry. If Milney gets abused every week and they don't bother doing anything about it and it is players in front of umpires that do it, then they should make sure they apply the same penalty to those incidents also.

If Milne has used a homophobic term to a non homosexual it is stupid and uneducated but not exactly vilification. If he's called him a Hare Krishna or something it's not exactly abusive so is the umpire trawling to cover for the fact that the are just ignorant to the rules.

[mcadam05]

What the f can you say that's not racist and not rapist. If he said something so serious that it's got the AFL in huff, it must have been either religious or homophobic. I hope if he called O Brien something homophobic they take the matter as seriously as they took Malthouse and Milne and have the two parties shake hands and say sorry. If Milney gets abused every week and they don't bother doing anything about it and it is players in front of umpires that do it, then they should make sure they apply the same penalty to those incidents also.

If Milne has used a homophobic term to a non homosexual it is stupid and uneducated but not exactly vilification. If he's called him a Hare Krishna or something it's not exactly abusive so is the umpire trawling to cover for the fact that the are just ignorant to the rules.

We all heard what milne said , it sounded to me like he was responding to What Harry ' O said and really do you think the AFL need much of a reason to move on from the 'Tanking' Question

[matrix]

This just gets better and better... We have had a match taken away from us by poor umpiring, yet we are still coming out as villains.
You'd reckon margettes has done enough already, clearly his decision making was impaired by his 'upset' over what Milne has said. Or was it just a coincidence that Obrien received a free every time Milne went near him?

BINGO!

anyone who says that the decision at the end of the game did not have something to do with the excahnge of words earlier is kidding themselves

wait a minute
i can hear the footsteps of the afl/umpire stooge coming to post and say we have no idea about umpiring because we have not umpired

[SainterK]

I don't understand whats going on here?

Milne cleary said 'what are you going to do about it so and so'

I hope he didn't overstep the line any further?

If either of them have said something bad, they should get in big trouble.

[perfectionist]

...The incident happened in the third quarter after Milne gave away a free kick to Collingwood's Darren Jolly for high contact. In the aftermath, Milne and O'Brien exchanged words and Milne was penalised 50m for abuse...

Except that, there is no 50 metre penalty when one player abuses another. I have posted this before, but for the sake of slow learners, or those who think umpires are entitled to make up or ignore rules, here is Law 18.1 which relates to the awarding of a 50 metre penalty:

Where a field Umpire has awarded a Free Kick or a Mark to a Player, the field Umpire shall also award a Fifty-Metre Penalty in favour of that Player if the field Umpire is of the opinion that any Player or Official from the opposing side:
(a) has encroached the mark;
(b) engages in Time Wasting;
(c) uses abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene language towards an Umpire;
(d) behaves in an abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene manner towards an Umpire or disputes the decision of an Umpire;
(e) enters the Protected Area, except when the Player is accompanying or following within 5 metres of their opponent;
(f) has not returned the football directly and on the full to the Player awarded the Free Kick or Mark;
(g) engages in any other conduct for which a Free Kick would ordinarily be awarded, in accordance with 16.7 (b);
(h) when not in the immediate contest, holds a Player after that Player has Marked the football or who has been awarded a Free Kick; or
(i) a Player in the contest who unreasonably holds a Player after that Player has Marked the football or who has been awarded a Free Kick.

and 16.7(b) is:
Where a Field Umpire has awarded a Free Kick or a Mark to a Player and before disposing of the football a Player from the opposition Team engages in conduct for which a Free Kick would ordinarily be awarded, then the resultant Free Kick shall be taken where the offence occurred, or a Fifty-Metre Penalty shall be awarded to the Player with the original Free Kick or Mark, whichever is the greater penalty against the offending Team.

And so what has happened to the rule about abuse of players? Well, it there as a reportable offence in 19.2.2 (m)
using abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene language;

Now if a player is reported, then a free kick is also paid or 50 metre penalty if a mark or free has already been paid. But there was no report. Therefore, there should not have been a 50 metre penalty. The fact that it is being investigated now is irrelevant to what happened on the night. Either way, the umpire made a mistake. My hearing is not that good, but what I heard has been said many times on the playing field by one player to another. Someone with better hearing might like to enlighten the rest of us as to any other words used rather than talk in riddles.

[Dr Spaceman]

I don't understand whats going on here?

Milne cleary said 'what are you going to do about it so and so'

I hope he didn't overstep the line any further?

If either of them have said something bad, they should get in big trouble.

I couldn't hear it on the night obviously and deleted the game without watching it after I got home. And before all of this blew up of course. So I wouldn't have any idea what was said.

But a Collingwood supporting workmate was watching the broadcast and told me what he thought Milney said.

And that was nothing worse than I'd say to my mate when he's a bit tardy getting to the bar for his shout.

[SainterK]

news.com.au reporting it now as well Spacey.

The way I read it now putting it all together....

It appears Milne may of said something, Harry O then has then alerted the umpire to what he said, and THEN Milne has said to Harry the now infamous 'blah blah blah blah'

If it's proven that he started it, and said something pretty awful, he probably deserved the 50mtr penalty.

I just don't like how the umpire appears to then have had his judgement clouded later in the game.

[bigcarl]

I feel that this umpire's personal revulsion at and hatred of Steven Milne has affected his judgement.

Very unprofessional.

[Buckets]

Amazing to think that Milne has kept quiet about all the crap he has received from both players and Official cheersquads, yet the Pies feel the need to throw their arms up. If it's neither racist or has the word rapist in it, surely Pies are just trying to make more work for nothing?

[saintspremiers]

I don't understand whats going on here?

Milne cleary said 'what are you going to do about it so and so'

I hope he didn't overstep the line any further?

If either of them have said something bad, they should get in big trouble.

Milne was in his rights to tell the umpire to go f himself and tell Harry O I'm An Idiot to piss off.

[perfectionist]

Milne was in his rights to tell the umpire to go f himself...

But he didn't and, of course, a player can never do it without fear of penalty, no matter how justified he thinks he might be. All the comments were directed at the Collingwood player. How hard is that to understand?

[mr six o'clock]

As soon as i heard this i thought , is this done to deflect the critisism by geishen of the poor umpiring in that game !

If not , then how could the afl police ever rude word that players say to one another , and what constitutes a rude word !

You could call someone a clown ! not knowing that person has a clown phobia ! that player could be frightened for the rest of the day !
where will it end !
The more sanitised the game , the more boring it will be to watch , like soccer .

[Cairnsman]

God bothering do-gooders are wrecking the game. They are just words. We have bread a generation of over sensitive nancy boys. For crying out loud it's a contact sport and the two players in question spend every weekend playing a brutal sport that has the potential to land you in hospital at any given contest and we have to spend thousands of dollars on an investigation into who said what to who. It's a joke and we need to go back to teaching the sticks and stones approach.

[SainterK]

I'm just saying we don't know the full story.

I don't think it was done after the game to justify the decision Mr Six, because it's quite clear Harry O tells the umpire about it 'before' Milnes outburst.

If Milne has done nothing wrong it will go away, if he said something offensive, the club may be forced to act.

[Eastern]

From what I can gather; Milney call O'Brien a Futten Ah-thole !!

[Con Gorozidis]

Hows about when Harry O elbows Milney in the back of the head. Milney drags his jumper and harry O gets a free.
Whole thing is a joke.
Surely that elbow (intentional, off the play, high contact, low impact) gets Harry a week?

[gringo]

What is the exact words he is meant to have said. I thought he'd said f off you idiot or something like that. Is that what the investigation is about or has a mark been stepped over? Is it about offensive language. Seriously has anyone in the AFL sat in the front row at a footy match? You hear stuff from players constantly, it goes on everywhere. Seriously they are grasping at straws if they think no one knows he's just trying to hide from the fact that he stuffed up the initial penalty. O'Brien hit Milne in the head and he got it wrong.