Why did the umpires put the whistle away

[3rd generation saint]

It really puzzles me that just because it is the Grand Final and it's close the umpires stopped paying free kicks.
I mean you almost had to get killed to get one in the last quarter.
If the free kick is there, it should be paid, you just can't change how you umpire a game for 1 quarter.
I have no doubt the umoires we're instructed to let the game go for the last quarter, pity, because the rules of the game hadn't changed.
Schneiders hold was blatant and would have been paid in any other match at anytime for the previous 25 weeks.

[Young Georgie]

Perhaps an AFL directive, perhaps an umpires pact to go down in history, perhaps coincidence, perhaps Lady Luck giving us the bird for the umpteenth time.

As has been discussed already Schneider hasn't done himself any favours with his whinging and staging - works for Ablett and the Pies but never a Saint.

They were average but still, can't blame the umps for the loss - there was something about the way the game unfolded that suggested we were never meant to win it no matter what.

[Eastern]

It really puzzles me that just because it is the Grand Final and it's close the umpires stopped paying free kicks.
I mean you almost had to get killed to get one in the last quarter.
If the free kick is there, it should be paid, you just can't change how you umpire a game for 1 quarter.
I have no doubt the umoires we're instructed to let the game go for the last quarter, pity, because the rules of the game hadn't changed.
Schneiders hold was blatant and would have been paid in any other match at anytime for the previous 25 weeks.

I can't help it, but I keep asking the question;

Was the Schnieder "hold" any more or any less than the Ablett "hold" in the 2nd Q that resulted in a goal? My interpretation of the rules would see the Schnieder one paid and the Ablett one called play on, but it wasn't to be !!

[saint64]

There were many that could have been paid that weren't. Schneider's was an obvious one. Dempster had his arm chopped while going for a mark. Riewoldt got monstered in the goal square. Joey had hands all over his head and shoulders while tring to juggle a mark. On the other side - Ablett should have got one about 50 metres out, and Jason Blake should have been done for deliberate out of bounds when he chose to carry it over.

[SaintWodonga]

Should have been paid.. Schneider' very unlucky, mind you he should have kicked the goal in the 1st quarter and last quarter, normally sodas for him.

[saintbrat]

as someone noted to me=- "no whistles- no mistakes -"

But in not paying them they are having just as much impact


PS: I agree with what I read elswhere- the blinkers to the Cats' slick' handballs ' have been on all year. so many throws

and just because he's still standing - although not moving - with the ball in hand is STILL holding the ball Gary- being held onto by 3 players.

[degruch]

Should have been paid.. Schneider' very unlucky, mind you he should have kicked the goal in the 1st quarter and last quarter, normally sodas for him.

I don't believe the umpires 'put the whistle away' at any stage of the game, most frees that were there were paid. The only major one missed was Schnieder's...not a bad day by the umps, I've seen much worse where Geelong's involved.

100% correct SW...no point in scratching our heads about a free or two when there were so many easy goals missed.

[saintspremiers]

Umm, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the umpire blinsided to the Schneider hold in the last term?

If so, they can't make the call if they can't see the hold!!!

We really need boundary umpires making decisions when they can see obvious frees.

OR....

Go with Ron Barassi's idea of 4 field umpires that operate from the outside looking in and also double up as boundary umpires.

[Milan Faletic]

It really puzzles me that just because it is the Grand Final and it's close the umpires stopped paying free kicks.
I mean you almost had to get killed to get one in the last quarter.
If the free kick is there, it should be paid, you just can't change how you umpire a game for 1 quarter.
I have no doubt the umoires we're instructed to let the game go for the last quarter, pity, because the rules of the game hadn't changed.
Schneiders hold was blatant and would have been paid in any other match at anytime for the previous 25 weeks.

I can't help it, but I keep asking the question;

Was the Schnieder "hold" any more or any less than the Ablett "hold" in the 2nd Q that resulted in a goal? My interpretation of the rules would see the Schnieder one paid and the Ablett one called play on, but it wasn't to be !!

My thoughts exactly and I didn't say this to any non Saint supporter because I didn't want to be accused of sour grapes but that Schneider non-decision was a disgrace. I think the Ablett decision was technically correct but on that basis, Schneider was definitely held too. Fair is fair.

[bigred]

intentional directive.

Make no mistake.

They were told to pull their heads in at half time.

No doubt about it.

[joffaboy]

Umm, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the umpire blinsided to the Schneider hold in the last term?

If so, they can't make the call if they can't see the hold!!!

We really need boundary umpires making decisions when they can see obvious frees.

OR....

Go with Ron Barassi's idea of 4 field umpires that operate from the outside looking in and also double up as boundary umpires.

Consider yourself corrected.

I automatically thought of here is a blantant free kick. Schnieders almost has his shorts pulled off him - you can see him being physically held back. The umpire is 5-8 metres away looking directly at the contest - puts his whistle to his mouth and then says - "play on".

I stood there stunned that he could do that. Just stunned.

As Sam Newman says - it is not the ones they give - it is the ones they dont.

It was appalling and bordered on negligent.

[ace]

Umm, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the umpire blinsided to the Schneider hold in the last term?

If so, they can't make the call if they can't see the hold!!!

We really need boundary umpires making decisions when they can see obvious frees.

OR....

Go with Ron Barassi's idea of 4 field umpires that operate from the outside looking in and also double up as boundary umpires.

Consider yourself corrected.

I automatically thought of here is a blantant free kick. Schnieders almost has his shorts pulled off him - you can see him being physically held back. The umpire is 5-8 metres away looking directly at the contest - puts his whistle to his mouth and then says - "play on".

I stood there stunned that he could do that. Just stunned.

As Sam Newman says - it is not the ones they give - it is the ones they dont.

It was appalling and bordered on negligent.

Another of those "Whoopee the umpires are going to have a win moments. I'll teach him to never clap an umpire again".

[gringo]

Still the worst decision was the goal umpire not noticing the ball change direction off the post. He is paid to watch the ball travel through a small area and totally stuffed it.

I was watching in St Kilda at a pub and 2 Scottish guys (who knew all the names and nicknames of the saints players -not bad for foriegners) said that in roundball football that would have sparked a riot and probably a royal commision.

They couldn't believe that in the biggest game of the year something so unprofessional happened. The AFL should get a second goal umpire if they cant get reliable people take on the job on their own.

[Wollongong_saint]

Too many what ifs....... stop doing it to yourselves, it only makes the pain worse!!!

In my opinion Schneider had it coming (unfairly) after his umpire directed outburst in Tassie (I think).......the circumstances of the umpires' retribution could not have been worse.

[CURLY]

No one can justify the Sneider non decision, the umpire saw it so only some form of bias cahanged his mind what else could it be. The Ablett free was more disapointing if you put in to context the fact he led once and received a infringment free, while Roo and Kosi would have had worse treatment throughout the day and got nil.

[StSteven]

I steeled myself today and watched the last quarter. Cats fans could easily argue they missed a number of frees also, some in front of goal plus Milburn head high, Ablett head high, Wojinzki pinged when he was grabbed after he bounced it.

I would not recommend watching it for a while yet though.......very upsetting.

[goyousaints]

Ablett gets twice as long to dispose the ball than every other player on the ground

[Milan Faletic]

Still the worst decision was the goal umpire not noticing the ball change direction off the post. He is paid to watch the ball travel through a small area and totally stuffed it.

What about the 3 field umpires and 2 boundary umpires?:x

[ace]

Ablett gets twice as long to dispose the ball than every other player on the ground

Rule of the game 666.
Inserted by Demetriou as compensation after GAblett missed out on two Brownlows.

[ace]

I steeled myself today and watched the last quarter. Cats fans could easily argue they missed a number of frees also, some in front of goal plus Milburn head high, Ablett head high, Wojinzki pinged when he was grabbed after he bounced it.

I would not recommend watching it for a while yet though.......very upsetting.

If you bounce the ball you are still in possession.
Back in the sixties players like Baldock made an art out of bouncing just before getting tackled, throwing out their arms to show the umpire they were not in possesion and getting a free.
The rule was deliberately changed to prevent this.

[Duggie]

Ablett gets twice as long to dispose the ball than every other player on the ground

Not really-- even though he annoys me to the hilt.
Just watch how he keeps his arms free 99% of the time and how he spins around in the tackle while looking for a teammate to handball to. He sa mastered that art and plays it within the rule. How many times have you seen him pinged for dropping the ball?

[barks4eva]

I automatically thought of here is a blantant free kick. Schnieders almost has his shorts pulled off him - you can see him being physically held back. The umpire is 5-8 metres away looking directly at the contest - puts his whistle to his mouth and then says - "play on".

I stood there stunned that he could do that. Just stunned.

As Sam Newman says - it is not the ones they give - it is the ones they dont.

It was appalling and bordered on negligent.

The umpire in question, Shaun Ryan who grew up in the Geelong area and supported Geelong as a kid, ( still quite young ) put the whistle to his mouth and decided in a split second to not pay it......................

mmm, he umpired last years Grand Final, perhaps he couldn't bear to see his beloved Cats get beaten in another Grand Final,

Yes it was appalling, but perhaps bordering more on, quite deliberate!

[Ackland St. Blues]

St. Kilda were getting the rub of the green in the first half - that free kick to Dempster was terrible.

The Cats didn't get a chance to square up in the second half as the whistle was put away.

[Saints94]

St. Kilda were getting the rub of the green in the first half - that free kick to Dempster was terrible.

The Cats didn't get a chance to square up in the second half as the whistle was put away.

Yeah getting an elbow in the face a shocking decsion

[Mr Magic]

St. Kilda were getting the rub of the green in the first half - that free kick to Dempster was terrible.

The Cats didn't get a chance to square up in the second half as the whistle was put away.

Yeah getting an elbow in the face a shocking decsion

He's not looking for reasoned debate - he's just here to annoy us as he can't go home to cheating park - they're cleaning out some of the rubbish there atm
I wonder if the gouger got his jumper back yet?