Umpire Andrew Stephens a Hawks Fan?

[Sainternist]

That little creep who made those absolute howlers against us was stupid enough to have something on his Twitter account. Indeed, Paul Puopolo could well have been his drinking buddy after the match.

http://www.sportingnews.com/afl-news/47 ... er-account

[saintsRrising]

Yes that all came out last night and is all over various sites.

[saintbrat]

Yes that all came out last night and is all over various sites.

And various threads here

[Selhurst Saint]

Apparently if you become a follower of his on twitter you can see many other hawthorn photos proudly displayed.

[Sainternist]

Yes that all came out last night and is all over various sites.

And various threads here

Apologies. Hadn't been in the loop here over the weekend. Didn't see a specific thread on Stephen's Twitter, so I decided to post one about it.

[To the top]

The serious side of this is that the integrity of the AFL competition remains severely tarnished.

There is serious, and heavily promoted, betting on AFL games and the passage of AFL games so when a result of a match is dictated by an Umpire, being an employee of the AFL so the AFL has the responsibility to appropriately vet credentials and any prospect of self interest, including egos, what is the response of any punters impacted by a concocted result?

What is the impact also on the premiership table, where betting is also heavily promoted?

I smell a Class Action against the AFL - which is its own worse enemy.

The AFL should reverse the result of the game by declaring the goal of Lewis null and void with betting agencies then being compensated for any pay outs on a Hawthorn victory.

Nothing less is acceptable.

It may be an idea to inundate the AFL with telephone calls protesting this event and seeking correction.

What has long been suspected has now been confirmed - and it can now not be white washed.

The media hacks are complicit with the AFL and will give this no coverage due to self interest.

[Sainternist]

Apparently if you become a follower of his on twitter you can see many other hawthorn photos proudly displayed.

Any happy-snaps of him getting together with his beloved Hawthorn players after a game for a few celebratory drinks?

[saintspremiers]

I had a look at the fwits Twitter feed last night. There was a pick of a kid with Down's next to a Hawthorn player. So not fwit dumpire but still Hawthorn related.

Time to sack the turd

[Sainternist]

I smell a Class Action against the AFL - which is its own worse enemy.

The AFL should reverse the result of the game by declaring the goal of Lewis null and void with betting agencies then being compensated for any pay outs on a Hawthorn victory.

Nothing less is acceptable.

It may be an idea to inundate the AFL with telephone calls protesting this event and seeking correction.

What has long been suspected has now been confirmed - and it can now not be white washed.

The media hacks are complicit with the AFL and will give this no coverage due to self interest.

I hear you, but even if it is true about umpire Stephens being a one-eyed Hawthorn fan, there is not enough corruption behind it to entail any type of action.

Unfortunately, in this case, the umpire's decision is final. If only McCartin's kick were straight, we could have been rubbing it in that little parasite's face.

[shrodes]

Now he's changed the background picture, and his timeline is no longer private.

http://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/afl/afl- ... spartanntp

[kosifantutti]

Apparently if you become a follower of his on twitter you can see many other hawthorn photos proudly displayed.

I don't think that's true.

One picture and you need to see it in context.

[Sainter_Dad]

Unfortunately, in this case, the umpire's decision is final. If only McCartin's kick were straight, we could have been rubbing it in that little parasite's face.

McCartins kick was straight, that was the problem, he did everything right, the wind had been curling those all day, in that moment, it did not bend the ball much at all.

Damned Footy Gods!!!!!!

I would have loved to see the growth in Paddy from kicking the winning goal!!!

[Sainternist]

Unfortunately, in this case, the umpire's decision is final. If only McCartin's kick were straight, we could have been rubbing it in that little parasite's face.

McCartins kick was straight, that was the problem, he did everything right, the wind had been curling those all day, in that moment, it did not bend the ball much at all.

Damned Footy Gods!!!!!!

I would have loved to see the growth in Paddy from kicking the winning goal!!!

I think I was meant to say straighter or straight through the goals. His kick wasn't a bad one at all. As you said, the wind pushed it out to the side. A narrow miss.

If his kick was a goal, we'd be hailing him as the best new kid on the block. Not to worry, Paddy will most certainly have his day in the sun soon enough.

[Sainter_Dad]

Unfortunately, in this case, the umpire's decision is final. If only McCartin's kick were straight, we could have been rubbing it in that little parasite's face.

McCartins kick was straight, that was the problem, he did everything right, the wind had been curling those all day, in that moment, it did not bend the ball much at all.

Damned Footy Gods!!!!!!

I would have loved to see the growth in Paddy from kicking the winning goal!!!

I think I was meant to say straighter or straight through the goals. His kick wasn't a bad one at all. As you said, the wind pushed it out to the side. A narrow miss.

If his kick was a goal, we'd be hailing him as the best new kid on the block. Not to worry, Paddy will most certainly have his day in the sun soon enough.

Yeah - not being argumentative or anything - just emphasising that the big #32 did EVERYTHING right based on the conditions of the day, and it would be so fantastic for his development if HE had been the match winner. Belief is an unknown quantity and that kick would have given it to him in spades!

[Sainternist]

Apparently if you become a follower of his on twitter you can see many other hawthorn photos proudly displayed.

I don't think that's true.

One picture and you need to see it in context.

Latest news is that he started a Facebook group called "AFL Umpires with unrequited love for Hawthorn".

[Sainternist]

Unfortunately, in this case, the umpire's decision is final. If only McCartin's kick were straight, we could have been rubbing it in that little parasite's face.

McCartins kick was straight, that was the problem, he did everything right, the wind had been curling those all day, in that moment, it did not bend the ball much at all.

Damned Footy Gods!!!!!!

I would have loved to see the growth in Paddy from kicking the winning goal!!!

I think I was meant to say straighter or straight through the goals. His kick wasn't a bad one at all. As you said, the wind pushed it out to the side. A narrow miss.

If his kick was a goal, we'd be hailing him as the best new kid on the block. Not to worry, Paddy will most certainly have his day in the sun soon enough.

Yeah - not being argumentative or anything - just emphasising that the big #32 did EVERYTHING right based on the conditions of the day, and it would be so fantastic for his development if HE had been the match winner. Belief is an unknown quantity and that kick would have given it to him in spades!

It's good that no one blamed him for missing it. No doubt, it's been giving him nightmares all week. He'll be looking to come out firing against GWS.

[Linton Lodger]

Particularly disgraceful was the fact that he knew he had stuffed up his call (at least on the second kick) because he failed to give the blatantly obvious holding the ball against Savage when he was tackled. I have no doubt that he didn't penalise Savage because he realised his call on the 15 metres was wrong! A competent and reasonable official would have stopped play, apologised to the players for the wrong call and called for a ball up. I'm sure the players & fans would have respected that.

But no, he wasn't man enough to say he got it wrong and just compounded his incompetence. Let's not forget his other howler when he played the advantage and then when it was apparent The Hawks had stuffed it up, called it back for a free kick, resulting in 2 goals due to his incompetence. He ought to be dropped for the remainder of the season as he is clearly not up to it.

Then we find out he's a devoted Hawthorn supporter. WTF??? Sure he's allowed to barrack for Hawthorn and start Facebook pages for Hawthorn supporters to his heart's content. However, he should never umpire a Hawthorn game. So if he concealed his love of Hawthorn from his employer, he ought to be unceremoniously sacked for misconduct. If his bosses knew then that's a triple WTF??? It's obvious that the dweeb is barely competent and I question why he's getting senior games, but as a Hawthorn lover, he's getting Hawthorn games on top of that!!!

This is a new high in rabid incompetence from the AFL and the Club needs to complain loud & clear to the Dickheads. We could at least reasonably expect that Andrew 'Village Idiot" Stephens never umpires a St Kilda game again.

Just in case anyone bleats back at me about being tolerant towards umpires, I say go take a running jump. They are professionals and very well paid for their 'part time' job and yet we have to tolerate stupid rule interpretations to cover for their general inability to apply intelligence & discretion to their decisions. The whole hand in the back saga eventuated because numpty umpires were incapable of discerning the difference between a shove and a defender holding their ground.

[To the top]

A look at what is on the AFL Website is interesting.

Well, we made a mistake but we practice not to make mistakes so it is all OK - even if it was the difference in the match result.

Then they try to put a distance on the kick to Savage as 16 or 17 metres, no doubt to say they got it wrong but it was only just wrong!!!

What absolute, unadulterated CRAP by these faunicated morons.

And it wasn't then holding the ball because Savage tried to get rid of it - except he got rid of it illegally!!

The real issue is that the attention to the 15 metre distance is because HAWTHORN have perfected these short kicks, many not the required 15 metres, in destroying the game from what it was and turning the game into glorified, keepings off basketball.

And then the Kennett's are the beneficiaries when, out of the blue, kicks are deemed to be less than 15 metres!!!!

The AFL is a disgrace - as is their media presence.

The very real suspicion is that Umpires and AFL Officials bet - and bet big time thru 3rd parties.

And THAT is the problem.

[kosifantutti]

Particularly disgraceful was the fact that he knew he had stuffed up his call (at least on the second kick) because he failed to give the blatantly obvious holding the ball against Savage when he was tackled. I have no doubt that he didn't penalise Savage because he realised his call on the 15 metres was wrong! A competent and reasonable official would have stopped play, apologised to the players for the wrong call and called for a ball up. I'm sure the players & fans would have respected that.

But no, he wasn't man enough to say he got it wrong and just compounded his incompetence. Let's not forget his other howler when he played the advantage and then when it was apparent The Hawks had stuffed it up, called it back for a free kick, resulting in 2 goals due to his incompetence. He ought to be dropped for the remainder of the season as he is clearly not up to it.

It happens all the time when a player thinks he's marked it and the umpire doesn't pay it for not 15 or touched. Or when they call play on after 8 seconds and the player is claimed immediately. They just get a bit of leniency. It doesn't mean the original decision was wrong.

Although it was in this case.

[Mr Magic]

Former Umpire Derek Humpty Dumpty declared this morning on SEN that the umpire was not a Hawks supporter and that the photograph on his social media site was merely one of his 'first game at the MCG'.

[Playon]

Remind me why we have the 15m kick as a rule again?

[Sainternist]

Remind me why we have the 15m kick as a rule again?

I think it has made it more contentious changing it from 10m to 15m. But that's a good question, why did the AFL decide to increase the distance by 5m for it to be a legitimate mark?

Former Umpire Derek Humpty Dumpty declared this morning on SEN that the umpire was not a Hawks supporter and that the photograph on his social media site was merely one of his 'first game at the MCG'.

Wasn't the photo with the Hawks banner taken from last year's GF? Surely, Humpty Dumpty got that one wrong about it being his first AFL match.

[kosifantutti]

Remind me why we have the 15m kick as a rule again?

I think it has made it more contentious changing it from 10m to 15m. But that's a good question, why did the AFL decide to increase the distance by 5m for it to be a legitimate mark?

Former Umpire Derek Humpty Dumpty declared this morning on SEN that the umpire was not a Hawks supporter and that the photograph on his social media site was merely one of his 'first game at the MCG'.

Wasn't the photo with the Hawks banner taken from last year's GF? Surely, Humpty Dumpty got that one wrong about it being his first AFL match.

I think it was the 2012 Grand Final. The Swans banner is also visible.

[Sainternist]

Remind me why we have the 15m kick as a rule again?

I think it has made it more contentious changing it from 10m to 15m. But that's a good question, why did the AFL decide to increase the distance by 5m for it to be a legitimate mark?

Former Umpire Derek Humpty Dumpty declared this morning on SEN that the umpire was not a Hawks supporter and that the photograph on his social media site was merely one of his 'first game at the MCG'.

Wasn't the photo with the Hawks banner taken from last year's GF? Surely, Humpty Dumpty got that one wrong about it being his first AFL match.

I think it was the 2012 Grand Final. The Swans banner is also visible.

But it's still not his first game? Unless Humpty Dumpty is referring to it being the first AFL match he attended? Nice of them to confirm for us he isn't actually a Hawthorn fan as well. What next will they confirm for us? That he goes to church every Sunday?

[Griggsy]

Former Umpire Derek Humpty Dumpty declared this morning on SEN that the umpire was not a Hawks supporter and that the photograph on his social media site was merely one of his 'first game at the MCG'.

I'm calling bull on that.

Can anyone here on this forum honestly say they would be caught dead with another teams banner being thirst thing you see on their own social profile for whatever reason.