Umpiring Eleni Glouftsis should not be umpiring AFL

[Zevon]

A reminder from your friendly neighbourhood moderator that replies to this thread are now on a very tight leash and should be kept to discussion about Eleni’s umpiring abilities only.

Several posts stating or suggesting that Eleni Glouftsis shouldn’t be umpiring solely because she is female have already been removed. Any further posts saying crap like “women are far too emotional to be umpires”, “she’s only umpiring because wokeness is taking over the AFL” etc etc will be removed and infractions given.

You can call us woke, white knights, politically correct or virtue signallers all you want, but the simple fact is that we don’t stand for misogyny here. If that’s not cool with you then you know where the door is.

Thanks, Zev

 

[HugeJohnson]

If you had have watched the practice game today between Port Adelaide and West Coast, you would have seen Eleni stuffed up her centre bounces time and time and time again.
This is a basic umpiring skill. Sure, two or three times a game you could forgive, but the way she continually sent the ball flying in one direction, with one of those being the worst bounce I have ever seen was beyond laughable.

It goes beyond that though, because it wouldn't be so much of a problem if another umpire would just take the bounce and she could umpire one end of the ground. But I'm not sure she's currently competent in the other aspects either. I don't believe she has a proper feel for the game and her interpretations of the rules are at times nonsensical and comical. This is not isolated to a bad game here and there, this is every game I have seen her umpire.

Now I can see the backlash coming for this call, because it is true she does stand out quite a bit as I believe she is the only current female umpire and that may have a subconscious impact on recognising her errors more than the men, who apart from a few personalities like Razor Ray, Dean Margetts, Matt Stevic and Simon Meredith, they all kind of get lost in the crowd I feel and are recognised as a collective. So in that sense it is a bit unfair on her as she is easier to pick out.

But if the male umpires can be criticised when they perform poorly, she must also be held accountable when she is not up to standard.
I'm just asking the question here, do you believe she is umpiring in the highest competition based on merit, or is she there because she makes the AFL look inclusive?

I'm not here with a pitchfork looking to banish her forever, I understand it's important to get women involved in the game and should be given an equal opportunity. I just believe she's not really at the required standard at the moment, she makes too many bad decisions, and hasn't nailed basic techniques such as bouncing the ball, and she probably needs to spend at least a year at a lower level and work on her craft a bit.

Who is responsible for training these umpires, and to what level are they held accountable for performances? Is she really one of the best we have in the whole country?

 

[king90]

If you had have watched the practice game today between Port Adelaide and West Coast, you would have seen Eleni stuffed up her centre bounces time and time and time again.
This is a basic umpiring skill. Sure, two or three times a game you could forgive, but the way she continually sent the ball flying in one direction, with one of those being the worst bounce I have ever seen was beyond laughable.

It goes beyond that though, because it wouldn't be so much of a problem if another umpire would just take the bounce and she could umpire one end of the ground. But I'm not sure she's currently competent in the other aspects either. I don't believe she has a proper feel for the game and her interpretations of the rules are at times nonsensical and comical. This is not isolated to a bad game here and there, this is every game I have seen her umpire.

Now I can see the backlash coming for this call, because it is true she does stand out quite a bit as I believe she is the only current female umpire and that may have a subconscious impact on recognising her errors more than the men, who apart from a few personalities like Razor Ray, Dean Margetts, Matt Stevic and Simon Meredith, they all kind of get lost in the crowd I feel and are recognised as a collective. So in that sense it is a bit unfair on her as she is easier to pick out.

But if the male umpires can be criticised when they perform poorly, she must also be held accountable when she is not up to standard.
I'm just asking the question here, do you believe she is umpiring in the highest competition based on merit, or is she there because she makes the AFL look inclusive?

I'm not here with a pitchfork looking to banish her forever, I understand it's important to get women involved in the game and should be given an equal opportunity. I just believe she's not really at the required standard at the moment, she makes too many bad decisions, and hasn't nailed basic techniques such as bouncing the ball, and she probably needs to spend at least a year at a lower level and work on her craft a bit.

Who is responsible for training these umpires, and to what level are they held accountable for performances? Is she really one of the best we have in the whole country?

She's awful, been saying it for years not only her inability to bounce the ball but she calls some softest random frees I've ever seen

 

[Xtreme]

Belongs in the amateur leagues (in fairness so do some others eg: Razor Ray!).

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

.... Eleni stuffed up her centre bounces time and time and time again.
This is a basic umpiring skill.

What is ridiculous, is that an obscure and random 'skill' such as bouncing an oval ball on the ground so that it bounces about 10 metres straight up in the air - is a fundamental requirement for an umpire.

It's utterly ludicrous.

It's like making a surgeon spin a basketball on their finger before they go in to perform an operation. And if they can't do it, they don't get to be a surgeon. And someone who is good at spinning a basketball on their finger, but is an average surgeon - gets to perform the big operations ahead of others that are much better at actually performing operations.

The relevance of the skill of bouncing the ball to being a good adjudicator of rules is just completely non-existent.


It honestly has to be not only one of the most idiotic things in world sport, but in the world full stop.

 

[rye]

she is on par with most other afl umpires

 

[Shadow89]

If you had have watched the practice game today between Port Adelaide and West Coast, you would have seen Eleni stuffed up her centre bounces time and time and time again.
This is a basic umpiring skill. Sure, two or three times a game you could forgive, but the way she continually sent the ball flying in one direction, with one of those being the worst bounce I have ever seen was beyond laughable.

It goes beyond that though, because it wouldn't be so much of a problem if another umpire would just take the bounce and she could umpire one end of the ground. But I'm not sure she's currently competent in the other aspects either. I don't believe she has a proper feel for the game and her interpretations of the rules are at times nonsensical and comical. This is not isolated to a bad game here and there, this is every game I have seen her umpire.

Now I can see the backlash coming for this call, because it is true she does stand out quite a bit as I believe she is the only current female umpire and that may have a subconscious impact on recognising her errors more than the men, who apart from a few personalities like Razor Ray, Dean Margetts, Matt Stevic and Simon Meredith, they all kind of get lost in the crowd I feel and are recognised as a collective. So in that sense it is a bit unfair on her as she is easier to pick out.

But if the male umpires can be criticised when they perform poorly, she must also be held accountable when she is not up to standard.
I'm just asking the question here, do you believe she is umpiring in the highest competition based on merit, or is she there because she makes the AFL look inclusive?

I'm not here with a pitchfork looking to banish her forever, I understand it's important to get women involved in the game and should be given an equal opportunity. I just believe she's not really at the required standard at the moment, she makes too many bad decisions, and hasn't nailed basic techniques such as bouncing the ball, and she probably needs to spend at least a year at a lower level and work on her craft a bit.

Who is responsible for training these umpires, and to what level are they held accountable for performances? Is she really one of the best we have in the whole country?

So unnecessary. So many umpires are poor at bouncing the ball these days. It's a dying art, and we should just throw it up moving forward - considering how much it can damage shoulders/joints in the long run. Eleni isn't perfect, but neither are any umpires. She's still learning, and there are plenty of umpires who are much worse.

I think her being a woman, does lead to subconscious criticism, as people automatically think she doesn't know what she's doing - by virtue of being a girl. This is exactly the sort of attitude that prevents more women becoming umpires, and in turn them all becoming better as a collective.

The fact that you're highlighting this based on a no consequence pre-season practice match, is very strange to me, and suggests that like your board, you're trying to find excuses for why you lost to a team that finished second last, last year.

But sure, blame Eleni. Not Ken, or your game plan, or your inability to reinvent yourselves outside of the 'forward pressure' game Hinkley has prided himself on. It's all one umpire's fault in a practice game, and she should be hung, drawn and quartered because of her awful performance.

Seriously, get some perspective.

 

[Maddo11]

Easy solution is to scrap the bounce

Do it for the first bounce of the grand final for traditions sake to keep the muppets happy, but it's ridiculous that some umps that are fit and able to adjudicate games might get stuck in the lower league because they can't bounce

 

[Xtreme]

So unnecessary. So many umpires are poor at bouncing the ball these days. It's a dying art, and we should just throw it up moving forward - considering how much it can damage shoulders/joints in the long run. Eleni isn't perfect, but neither are any umpires. She's still learning, and there are plenty of umpires who are much worse.

I think her being a woman, does lead to subconscious criticism, as people automatically think she doesn't know what she's doing - by virtue of being a girl. This is exactly the sort of attitude that prevents more women becoming umpires, and in turn them all becoming better as a collective.

The fact that you're highlighting this based on a no consequence pre-season practice match, is very strange to me, and suggests that like your board, you're trying to find excuses for why you lost to a team that finished second last, last year.

But sure, blame Eleni. Not Ken, or your game plan, or your inability to reinvent yourselves outside of the 'forward pressure' game Hinkley has prided himself on. It's all one umpire's fault in a practice game, and she should be hung, drawn and quartered because of her awful performance.

Seriously, get some perspective.

What if this umpire was umpiring a Geelong match, and this umpire made an absolute blunder which costs Geelong a top 2/4/8 spot ?

There would be much angst!

 

[Shadow89]

What if this umpire was umpiring a Geelong match, and this umpire made an absolute blunder which costs Geelong a top 2/4/8 spot ?

There would be much angst!

We are one of the least sookiest clubs when it comes to umpiring decisions, lol. All umpires are sh*t at different stages, Eleni is not special in that regard.

In any case, let's keep it on topic rather than resorting to pot shots at each other based on club rivalries.

 

[Xtreme]

We are one of the least sookiest clubs when it comes to umpiring decisions, lol.

Did LOL!!! That's a lie!

 

[PrinceCharles]

She won't lose her job, the woke world will cancel the afl

I can almost see the few brain cells you have coming together to come up with that comment.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Bit like her umpiring

Whether her umpiring is good or bad, isn't really the point.

The point is that the AFL have a significant problem with umpiring numbers. They just don't have enough.

They need more.

So if they can demonstrate to girls that umpiring is a legitimate option for them, they're potentially opening up the 'talent pool' to the other 50% of the population.

I don't think it's a 'woke' thing necessarily. It's just smart.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Ability does not come into it, diversity and identity rule.

Very short sighted and narrow minded.

 

[Shadow89]

Did LOL!!! That's a lie!

Lol, back to ignored you go.

 

[woopy doo]

Umpiring at all levels in on life support. From under age grass roots to AFL, it’s a complex game to begin with let alone the powers that be changing it every 5 minutes.

 

[HugeJohnson]

So unnecessary. So many umpires are poor at bouncing the ball these days. It's a dying art, and we should just throw it up moving forward - considering how much it can damage shoulders/joints in the long run. Eleni isn't perfect, but neither are any umpires. She's still learning, and there are plenty of umpires who are much worse.

I think her being a woman, does lead to subconscious criticism, as people automatically think she doesn't know what she's doing - by virtue of being a girl. This is exactly the sort of attitude that prevents more women becoming umpires, and in turn them all becoming better as a collective.

The fact that you're highlighting this based on a no consequence pre-season practice match, is very strange to me, and suggests that like your board, you're trying to find excuses for why you lost to a team that finished second last, last year.

But sure, blame Eleni. Not Ken, or your game plan, or your inability to reinvent yourselves outside of the 'forward pressure' game Hinkley has prided himself on. It's all one umpire's fault in a practice game, and she should be hung, drawn and quartered because of her awful performance.

Seriously, get some perspective.

Haha I'm making no excuses, I'm very well aware Ken is a dud coach, Port is going nowhere this year and I'm counting the days til he's gone, I also never said Port got the rough end of the stick yesterday, in fact we probably had the better of the umpiring overall. (non call on Jeremy McGovern smashing Boak aside)

It's an easy deflection to turn it around and blame it on someone sulking that their team was hard done by than simply replying to the questions I actually put forward and discussing the umpiring as it is. Football is an emotional sport though, so it's not easy to have an objective discussion.

 

[HugeJohnson]

We are one of the least sookiest clubs when it comes to umpiring decisions, lol. All umpires are sh*t at different stages, Eleni is not special in that regard.

In any case, let's keep it on topic rather than resorting to pot shots at each other based on club rivalries.

Pot. Kettle. Black.

 

[Shadow89]

Pot. Kettle. Black.

Lol our clubs don't have a rivalry - and in any case, I'm pointing out factual grievances from your board from that game, rather than random assertions of my own.

 

[Black Panther]

That's Eleni Glouftsis OAM to you peasant

 

[Milanista28]

She knows when she ****s up it's highlighted 10x worse than the blokes and that's why she ****s up.

Every season a few games get decided on a shit call, I can't remember Eleni making one of those calls but she will one day and the hate she'll receive will be wild.

 

[Lia]

On the point about the centre bounce, if it is a known weakness of a particular umpire then why are they doing it? Should be left to the best umpire or two.

 

[terrybull]

Easy solution

Don’t make it a requirement but an option.

Umpires earn an extra $100 for every successful bounce in a match.

Umpires that are great in decisions and can bounce are prioritized for Finals.

 

[nobbyiscool]

If you had have watched the practice game today between Port Adelaide and West Coast, you would have seen Eleni stuffed up her centre bounces time and time and time again.
This is a basic umpiring skill. Sure, two or three times a game you could forgive, but the way she continually sent the ball flying in one direction, with one of those being the worst bounce I have ever seen was beyond laughable.

It goes beyond that though, because it wouldn't be so much of a problem if another umpire would just take the bounce and she could umpire one end of the ground. But I'm not sure she's currently competent in the other aspects either. I don't believe she has a proper feel for the game and her interpretations of the rules are at times nonsensical and comical. This is not isolated to a bad game here and there, this is every game I have seen her umpire.

Now I can see the backlash coming for this call, because it is true she does stand out quite a bit as I believe she is the only current female umpire and that may have a subconscious impact on recognising her errors more than the men, who apart from a few personalities like Razor Ray, Dean Margetts, Matt Stevic and Simon Meredith, they all kind of get lost in the crowd I feel and are recognised as a collective. So in that sense it is a bit unfair on her as she is easier to pick out.

But if the male umpires can be criticised when they perform poorly, she must also be held accountable when she is not up to standard.
I'm just asking the question here, do you believe she is umpiring in the highest competition based on merit, or is she there because she makes the AFL look inclusive?

I'm not here with a pitchfork looking to banish her forever, I understand it's important to get women involved in the game and should be given an equal opportunity. I just believe she's not really at the required standard at the moment, she makes too many bad decisions, and hasn't nailed basic techniques such as bouncing the ball, and she probably needs to spend at least a year at a lower level and work on her craft a bit.

Who is responsible for training these umpires, and to what level are they held accountable for performances? Is she really one of the best we have in the whole country?

Most umpires can't bounce. Most umpires make rubbish calls. No one is saying you can't criticise her.

But the only reason you're calling for her head is because she's more recognisable as a woman. She's nowhere near the worst umpire in the AFL.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Easy solution

Don’t make it a requirement but an option.

Umpires earn an extra $100 for every successful bounce in a match.

Umpires that are great in decisions and can bounce are prioritized for Finals.

If you did that then of course they will want to at least attempt it every time.