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

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

She is far from the worst field umpire in the AFL, in fact i doubt she would be in the bottom 10..

Just an easy and convinent scapegoat and target by restless fans.

 

[hawkman]

Would really help if on coverage her mic was the same volume as the others. It's quite obviously louder.

Razor is the same, always louder than the rest

 

[hawkman]

Her umpiring is no better or worse than the AFL general standard.

Her bouncing tonight was.. odd. It was consistently swaying to the right.
Is it a technique issue? Or is it just the ground. She wasn’t alone, hers were just more consistently wonky.

I personally think we should just do away with the bounce for the sake of consistency.

She shouldn't be bouncing it. With 4 umpires you can easily have your worst bouncer not doing it.

 

[lordbob]

your argument fell over there.
Most umpires can’t bounce the ball.

The WAFL has done away with it altogether - only a matter of time before that spreads

How have the umpires in previous generations bounced the ball then? Problem with the game or the umpires skill?

 

[g_TRAIN]

Think she is pretty good.

I'll admit she wasn't quite up to scratch when she started but she's improved a lot from the recent matches I've seen

On Pixel 6a using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[western royboy]

Some points

Umpires are in short supply at all levels. At lower levels numbers are at crisis levels.

If the base is struggling then it stands to reason that standard up the chain must suffer

We need women umpires

The move to four umpires partially allows for this

The Bounce is a relic, it‘s no longer relevant, it’s hard enough throwing it up straight and getting out of the way - try it some time

It is accepted that the game is one if not the hardest to umpire / referee in the world. So much of it is subjective dependant upon the situation - few of which are ever the same. Umpires will and do make mistakes. Getting the best decision makers involved is the key.

Eleni isn’t the problem.

 

[lordbob]

Some points

Umpires are in short supply at all levels. At lower levels numbers are at crisis levels.

If the base is struggling then it stands to reason that standard up the chain must suffer

We need women umpires

The move to four umpires partially allows for this

The Bounce is a relic, it‘s no longer relevant, it’s hard enough throwing it up straight and getting out of the way - try it some time

It is accepted that the game is one if not the hardest to umpire / referee in the world. So much of it is subjective dependant upon the situation - few of which are ever the same. Umpires will and do make mistakes. Getting the best decision makers involved is the key.

Eleni isn’t the problem.

So you are saying the game is the problem, not the umpires?

 

[western royboy]

So you are saying the game is the problem, not the umpires?

If the umpires are the problem…you are kidding yourself.

Try recruiting for Umpires in regional areas…it’s impossible.

In terms of actually umpiring it has got a lot harder in recent years with things like the stand rule, dangerous tackles and bumping etc. I dare anyone taking potshots at umpires in general to get off your arse and give it a go. You will soon change your mind. That doesn’t mean on occasions they cant still be poor. However some of the changes ie. from 3-4 aren’t helping consistency which is what people want. 4 Umpires is designed to allow more people in, particularly women.

 

[lordbob]

Constant rule changes make things that much harder for umpires. Not only for accuracy but also for consistency. Ive got plenty of sympathy and respect for the umpires having to constantly adjust.

The bounce however, isnt one of those things that has been changed. Leave the game as it is, let the umps refine their decision making on a fixed set of rules.

its hypocritical to say we she remove the bounce because the game has gotten harder to umpire due to constant rule changes. ie lets change the game because there have been too many rule changes

 

[western royboy]

Constant rule changes make things that much harder for umpires. Not only for accuracy but also for consistency. Ive got plenty of sympathy and respect for the umpires having to constantly adjust.

The bounce however, isnt one of those things that has been changed. Leave the game as it is, let the umps refine their decision making on a fixed set of rules.

its hypocritical to say we she remove the bounce because the game has gotten harder to umpire due to constant rule changes. ie lets change the game because there have been too many rule changes

At community level we do not bounce it - I’ve never bounced the ball in my career - and I’m not umpiring kids footy

 

[lordbob]

Then the bounce isnt impacting the ability to recruit umpires at community level. But there is still a problem you have said. So the bounce cant be the issue.

 

[Xtreme]

The Bounce is a relic, it‘s no longer relevant, it’s hard enough throwing it up straight and getting out of the way - try it some time

The bounce is one of the easiest and fundamental things of being a footy umpire. I don't know how or why people just forgot how to place their hands and do the action to bounce it correctly ?

 

[western royboy]

Then the bounce isnt impacting the ability to recruit umpires at community level. But there is still a problem you have said. So the bounce cant be the issue.

At the lowest levels we are struggling to get new umpires for a range of issues but predominantly because of the competition we face from clubs for players, perception (abuse).

We struggle to retain them because of the drift away from regional areas for education and employment.

At the elite level, a number of umpires have walked away because of their inability to bounce it, which is ridiculous given that is nowhere near the key determinant of what makes a good umpire. That should tell you something.

 

[western royboy]

The bounce is one of the easiest and fundamental things of being a footy umpire. I don't know how or why people just forgot how to place their hands and do the action to bounce it correctly ?

Give it a go, I know you are perfect at everything so I look forward to seeing some videos on here real soon Scomo

 

[Xtreme]

Give it a go, I know you are perfect at everything so I look forward to seeing some videos on here real soon Scomo

I've bounced the ball many times over the years , what gets me is having to run backward to avoid the rucks running into me

 

[Belnakor]

Think she is pretty good.

I'll admit she wasn't quite up to scratch when she started but she's improved a lot from the recent matches I've seen

On Pixel 6a using BigFooty.com mobile app

Seemed to have the bounce working well in the Fremantle / GC game. Also probably the best umpired game I’ve seen all season.

She has definitely got better.

 

[Sumwun]

Seemed to have the bounce working well in the Fremantle / GC game. Also probably the best umpired game I’ve seen all season.

She has definitely got better.

From where I was sitting it didn't look like it, but to be fair she wasn't on her own. In the game most centre bounces, as well as throw ups around the ground, tended to be low and away from the direction the umpire was facing. Difficult to see on tv as the camera is square to the ground and I was in the grandstand looking down the ground. Lots of boundary throw ins where short as well.
Umpiring overall in that game was average with Eleni no better or worse than the other 3.

 

[DazzaTys]

AFL should be targeting some of those mid 25 year old delisted AFL players. Most of elite fitness, have been playing the game most of their lives and generally have a feel for the game. I wouldn’t say they’d be perfect by any means but they’d certainly do a better job. umpiring standards are diabolical at the moment.

 

[McIvor]

Eleni again showing how pathetic she really is on the weekend.

She lacks awareness, game feel and frankly gets more wrong than right. She would deadset struggle umpiring my sons junior league.

Too many incidents from last game but paying deliberate when a player barely missed his teaammate and it going out is not deliberate, players having their heads ripped off, when the AFL is generally all about protecting the head and nothing to see from Eleni.

Seriously, why is she umpiring in the AFL? I mean its obvious that the AFL wont cut her out of fear of the womens groups cracking it, but shes clearly not up to it, every game i see her in every week and she is just clueless.

 

[Fadge]

We need women umpires

The move to four umpires partially allows for this

Why do we 'need' women umpires?

 

[western royboy]

Why do we 'need' women umpires?

Because we can’t get enough umpires.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Why do we 'need' women umpires?

Why don't you put up your hand and give it a go than Fadge? Not fair to have a crack at someone (regardless of gender) if you are not prepared to try and take on the same task yourself

 

[Fadge]

Because we can’t get enough umpires.

Didn't answer my question, but not sure I'm too keen to go down this line of discussion anyway....

 

[Fadge]

Why don't you put up your hand and give it a go than Fadge? Not fair to have a crack at someone (regardless of gender) if you are not prepared to try and take on the same task yourself

Who's having a crack?

I asked what I thought was a simple question.

How do you know I haven't umpired myself?

 

[western royboy]

Didn't answer my question, but not sure I'm too keen to go down this line of discussion anyway....

? I reckon I did but whatever