AFL Goal Umpire Injured By Crowd Thrown Bottle

[rdhopkins2]

Terrible behaviour at the Carlton v Saints game. A goal umpire was hit in the back of the head by a water bottle thrown from the crowd.

The fool who did it deserves a lifetime ban from attending AFL. Further, they should be stripped of any AFL related membership. To show society this is unacceptable VicPol must also lay charges and have this loser charged.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/goal-umpire-struck-by-a-bottle-in-shocking-afl-crowd-act/news-story/b13efbaa8a634f568be78608ffb4938f

AFL Punishes Patron for Bottle-Throwing Incident

The AFL has issued a lifetime ban to a patron […]

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Kappa]

Surely there are photos of this coward? What's his name?

 

[Forward Press]

It's a load of shit and people may think I'm drawing a very long bow here, but the gameday threads on here give a very clear example of why things like this can happen: people crying about every umpiring decision that hasn't gone their way; the game barely gets a mention.

The same people who make 20 one sentence posts in a gameday thread, sooking about every decision or non-decision that goes against them, which umpires are blatantly prejudiced against their team or simply corrupt... if you're one of those posters and now you want to talk about the disgraceful actions of a supporter yesterday at Marvel, I have three words for you: Get absolutely ****ed.

Wish I could like this post more than once. Absolutely spot on and a key reason why Gameday threads here are best avoided.

 

[GastevsBeard]

I just don’t love the media hand-wringing that comes out afterwards. We have uninformed commentators that constantly tell us how bad umpires are, and that we should be outraged, because it drives engagement with their socials and is good for business.

prior to learning it was a projectile, BT was on his usual soap-box joking the umpire likely hit himself in the head with his flag

was telling that the immediate assumption was 'inept, umpire buffoonery'

 

[Atomboy]

Sure thing...full bottle of water to the back of the head which draws blood.

The media all blurting out for a fact this was a Carlton supporter. Has this actually been established...because it's been shown that it clearly didn't come from the cheersquad.

If the person is caught, they should be banned for life. But let's deal with facts here.

Definitely not a Carlton fan - would have been a full brown paper bag and not a water bottle if so.

Zing !.

 

[kickazz]

You don't remember the "behavioural awareness officers"

Not sure I do to be honest.

I do recall a game at KP where a guy with a clipboard was being particularly painful, claiming I was in the wrong seat. Insisted blocking the view/interrupting us while the game was on, didn't wait for a break in play, was wrong, just had no idea. But it wasn't a behaviour thing I don't think, but it was when there seemed to be a lot more people with hi viz on at the game for some reason.

 

[Chief]

Definitely not a Carlton fan - would have been a full brown paper bag and not a water bottle if so.

Zing !.

 

[PerthBoy86]

To be fair there is another scenario that needs to be considered.

My old man was sitting in the lower stands near the oval, hill end, watching a test match v India in Adelaide. Minding his own business. Next minute smacked in the bag of the head by a bag of fruit. Wondered why anyone would do that. Sees the Indian contingent walking past the hill with their flags…

It was possibly a Saints or Carlton supporter ditching the bottle at an oppo fan and just missed their mark.

And that's any better? Throwing a bottle at any person is equally bad.

 

[BomberManU]

"Banning them from going to the footy" seems pretty inadequate (not to mention practically impossible to police). Sure, give them the token 5/10 year ban from attending games, but this should be straight in the hands of the police to lay charges. It's in the ballpark of the A-League supporters in Melbourne storming the pitch and assaulting a player in late-2022.

Beyond that, once the club they support is established, I think they should be banned for life from ever holding a membership (if they even have one), with a public statement by the coach/captain/CEO/president that they aren't wanted as a supporter of the club and any other supporters who'd launch a similar gutless attack on an umpire can eff off too.

People have whinged about the standard of umpiring in all sports since day 1. What better way to attract the best talent to make a career of it at the elite level than to see an umpire leaving the field with a blood stained uniform after being attacked from behind?

It's a load of shit and people may think I'm drawing a very long bow here, but the gameday threads on here give a very clear example of why things like this can happen: people crying about every umpiring decision that hasn't gone their way; the game barely gets a mention.

The same people who make 20 one sentence posts in a gameday thread, sooking about every decision or non-decision that goes against them, which umpires are blatantly prejudiced against their team or simply corrupt... if you're one of those posters and now you want to talk about the disgraceful actions of a supporter yesterday at Marvel, I have three words for you: Get absolutely ****ed.

Maybe the 'free kick' count stat should be shelved. Doesn't really add anything to the game, other than fuel outrage.

 

[Big_Birdy]

And that's any better? Throwing a bottle at any person is equally bad.

Oh god no. The convo I was having was asking why you'd throw one at the goal umpire?

 

[PerthBoy86]

Oh god no. The convo I was having was asking why you'd throw one at the goal umpire?

Oh sorry didn't read properly

 

[TheNewEnsign]

Been a bit of talk that it was either a Saints or a neutral supporter who was actually aiming for a Carlton supporter.
One of ours, or not. Aiming for the ump, or another supporter, or just trying to throw it on the ground as a form of protest, there's no room for this in the game.

Curious as to where this 'talk' of it being a Saints fan or neutral supporter is coming from - care to share links?

I watched the game (at home) and at one point the Carlton section of the crowd took a chant of 'Bull - S**T. Bull - S**T' (which we can reasonably infer was about the umpiring) for about maybe ~30 seconds that was audible on the broadcast. The atmosphere from what I could see in the first was terrible. People up in the stands going off and motioning like the umps are on the take and whatnot.

I understand that this is an individual doing something stupid but the Carlton section of the crowd 100% created an environment yesterday where a nuff could think it's somehow acceptable. There should be some self-examination in the wider Carlton supporter base about the extent to which the club thinks it is 'entitled' to win games / play finals and appropriate reactions when that doesn't work out (although, you are playing finals...).

The footage of the bottle (the one everyone's seen where it is on the goals) and bottle comes from out of frame on the left means there is almost zero chance it was a 'misthrow', the angle and velocity are all wrong for that.

 

[Aussie in exile]

Apparently a lot of the cheer squad pointed him/her out but they disappeared so quickly, security couldn't find them. With the 15,000 cameras at marvel they will find them.

We would hope so, but if they don't questions need to be asked as to why not.

 

[Forward Press]

I understand that this is an individual doing something stupid but the Carlton section of the crowd 100% created an environment yesterday where a nuff could think it's somehow acceptable.

It's not just a Carlton thing.

It's a whole sport thing. I mean, we had two West Coast supporters going on and on about the umpiring in the latest Geelong v WC game where were behind by 100 at half time, claiming things like they were on the take or #VICBIAS or Harley Reid being the innocent victim of a league conspiracy etc.

This 'umpires deserve the abuse they get' is reflected in the mentality of those attending games, from grassroots to AFL level. There is an increasing acceptance and tolerance of umpire criticism and this leads to excuses being made for heckling, abuse and now violence - heck, this was just a goal umpire who does not even make any decisions apart from where they think the ball crossed the goal line. And - unfortunately - the eventual final result will be no more sport because no one would want to be an umpire if the coaches, media and public are permitted to unload on the officials.

Blame AFL House for confusing rules - sure. But the armchair critics with their instant slo-mo replays and keyboards have too much power nowadays and we are now seeing the results.

 

[TheNewEnsign]

It's not just a Carlton thing.

It's a whole sport thing. I mean, we had two West Coast supporters going on and on about the umpiring in the latest Geelong v WC game where were behind by 100 at half time, claiming things like they were on the take or #VICBIAS or Harley Reid being the innocent victim of a league conspiracy etc.

This 'umpires deserve the abuse they get' is reflected in the mentality of those attending games, from grassroots to AFL level. There is an increasing acceptance and tolerance of umpire criticism and this leads to excuses being made for heckling, abuse and now violence - heck, this was just a goal umpire who does not even make any decisions apart from where they think the ball crossed the goal line. And - unfortunately - the eventual final result will be no more sport because no one would want to be an umpire if the coaches, media and public are permitted to unload on the officials.

Blame AFL House for confusing rules - sure. But the armchair critics with their instant slo-mo replays and keyboards have too much power nowadays and we are now seeing the results.

100% agree. I didn't post this upthread since it wasn't relevant to the comment I was replying to, but I found the behaviour of Selwood and Thomas on commentary throughout to be particularly s**thouse. They were basically trying to rile up the Carlton fans at home and then only went quiet because something very bad happened.

I accept that as a Saints fan, I am tarred with the same anti-umps brush due to my fan base coming up with some of the worst game day ump nonsense going around.

 

[maskmcgee]

 

[kickazz]

View attachment 2092441

*I and 12 other

 

[skipper kelly]

If it was a cheer squad member involved then there is a straight up defense.

 

[kickazz]

Yeah the media side is interesting - look as a kid I remember going to games and there being bad language and umpire abuse.

But watching on TV, we didn't get heaps of replays, we didn't have microphones on the umpires. The commentators might occasionally question or remark upon a decision, but they didn't bang on about it like they do now. Constant replays, "listen to the <insert team here> supporters", yada yada.

They are fuelling the fire. They make it about the umpires more than the players sometimes. I recon just through random variation you might get one game a year where you can say you were dudded by the umps, but overall, it really does all even out and has a much smaller effect on the game than what the players do.

Time to chill out.

 

[Gough]

View attachment 2092441

That's simultaneously hysterical and utterly tragic.

 

[Forward Press]

100% agree. I didn't post this upthread since it wasn't relevant to the comment I was replying to, but I found the behaviour of Selwood and Thomas on commentary throughout to be particularly s**thouse. They were basically trying to rile up the Carlton fans at home and then only went quiet because something very bad happened.

I accept that as a Saints fan, I am tarred with the same anti-umps brush due to my fan base coming up with some of the worst game day ump nonsense going around.

Yes, I only watched part of the game (and all of the last quarter) but their constant criticism of umpiring decisions was grating (and maybe reflected how they played too, I dunno). They are part of the problem - instead of trying to understand why the umpire made the call or non-call, they just chimed in with 'soft' and associated variants.

 

[Chief]

That's simultaneously hysterical and utterly tragic.

In the old times they would have had to write a letter, find an envelope, find the right address to send it to, go to the post office, buy a stamp...

The realisation of how stupid this sort of threat is would have days to permeate their smooth brains.

 

[blueboy25]

View attachment 2092441

Anyone who calls themselves a Alpha male is definitely not a Alpha Male

 

[basashi]

I just hope that they review the video and find that it is a listed AFL player who did it.

No way would they dish out a life ban. In fact, if they could harness the energy from all the backpedalling, they would be able to help Melbourne bring its net zero target to 2025!

brrrr brrrr,,, life issues.... mental health..... counselling.... move forward.... mature approach.... bbbrrrr brrrrr

 

[deck]

People have whinged about the standard of umpiring in all sports since day 1. What better way to attract the best talent to make a career of it at the elite level than to see an umpire leaving the field with a blood stained uniform after being attacked from behind?

It's a load of shit and people may think I'm drawing a very long bow here, but the gameday threads on here give a very clear example of why things like this can happen: people crying about every umpiring decision that hasn't gone their way; the game barely gets a mention.

The same people who make 20 one sentence posts in a gameday thread, sooking about every decision or non-decision that goes against them, which umpires are blatantly prejudiced against their team or simply corrupt... if you're one of those posters and now you want to talk about the disgraceful actions of a supporter yesterday at Marvel, I have three words for you: Get absolutely ****ed.

Umpire and Referee bashing is a sport itself. Doesn't matter what sport you follow it is the same thing from fans. Blaming the officials for a loss.

Worry about what your team can control not what they can't. Players make far more mistakes than the umpires do. And most the free kick whinging are for frees that are 50/50 at best.

 

[CCurnow3votes]

The guy is probably in Greece by now

A million cameras around Docklands but somehow he vanishes into thin air like The Jackal

If they can't find him, the AFL has no option other than to dock Carlton premiership points

Or 10% points ?