Matthew Nicholls is the worst umpire in the AFL.

[Simon_Nesbit]

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50m every day of the millennium. Duncan hasn't left his line and Buddy is trying to block a handball from metres over the mark.

Didn't watch the game so these stills are all I have seen, so it's hard without reference, but presuming Franklin is standing in line between goals and the Geelong player, the Cat player looks to have landed and be standing roughly where the mark was. So Franklin is on the defensive side of him (which it would appear from the other posters comments), then Franklin hasn't even made it to the mark yet, let alone crossed it.

 

[Mningasimisonda]

Didn't watch the game so these stills are all I have seen, so it's hard without reference, but presuming Franklin is standing in line between goals and the Geelong player, the Cat player looks to have landed and be standing roughly where the mark was. So Franklin is on the defensive side of him (which it would appear from the other posters comments), then Franklin hasn't even made it to the mark yet, let alone crossed it.

Other way around. Duncan marked goalside of Franklin.

The line at the top is the side of the centre square, so along the ground is horizontal and across is vertical in the images.

 

[Mningasimisonda]

Nobodies disputing that Buddy was over the mark at some point it's the fact that the umpire called the 50 so fast Buddy had no chance to correct his positioning plus the umpire never told him to get back like they do every other time.

You do know you won the game don't you?

Of course. The umpire doesn't deserve to be bagged for making the right decision, that's all.

Buddy stopped and changed direction well over the mark to stop Duncan passing. There's no call him back for that.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

Other way around. Duncan marked goalside of Franklin.

The line at the top is the side of the centre square, so along the ground is horizontal and across is vertical in the images.

Ah. It would appear to be a 100% correct call then. Thought that line was the 50m arc from the way both players shaped up.

The reason why Franklin wasn't called back by the umpire is he came from side-on - not from behind. He was never in a safe position, so couldn't be called "back".

If a defender comes from behind the mark, but goes over the mark "in play" (ie attempting to spoil, or just trailing in the leading forward) the umpire will give him some opportunity to come back, and correct them if they have encroached ("back 2m") without penalty. Often if they do not influence the next play it is ignored anyway.

If a defender comes from the side or behind, they will be penalised instantly unless they do one of two specific actions - freeze and remove themselves from the play (ie hands behind back/turn back on play - saw McVeigh do that a week ago to great effect), or immediately turn and leave the danger area.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

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50m every day of the millennium. Duncan hasn't left his line and Buddy is trying to block a handball from metres over the mark.

How?
Duncan is infront of the mark on the second image, and Franklin is even further back.

Correct call is play on

 

[Mningasimisonda]

How?
Duncan is infront of the mark on the second image, and Franklin is even further back.

Correct call is play on

Other way around as I said further up. Duncan is goalside and Buddy stops part way through the restricted area to involve himself in play.

 

[Beerfish]

Seriously. He flat out gets the game wrong. Pays the very shifty ones, doesn't pay the obvious. Will pull out a technical free kick but when someone is dead to rights for marking infringement, throwing or HTB he'll put the whistle away. Just unreal how he still manages to actually get a gig.

I think you'll find it's mostly because he bounces the ball well which is obviously much more important that making good umpiring decisions.

 

[radiojake]

No worse than the Henderson deliberate out of bounds spoil, but still bullshit.

that was deplorable


the only reason I could see how they went with that was because the ball coming in didn't go 15 metres so no mark was going to be paid?

Otherwise I thought you had the right to belt the ball from a marking contest (yes he wasn't exactly contested heavily.. but still that was rubbish)

 

[Present Not Past]

Nicholls
Fisher
Ray
Chamberlain
Ryan
Meredith
Foot and
Stevic
are the worst umpires in the AFL

 

[ItsGameTime]

I expect him to get the Grand Final gig.

I expect Stevic and Schmitt to be joining him.

 

[Scroater]

Surely can't get to the big dance. Although GWS were merely hanging by a thread and only a couple of goals down, that "fail to show intent to keep the ball in play" decision from the "BHF" was the start of the end for GWS and himself. His decision making over the next 10 minutes was nothing short of abysmal. Ryan had some shockers and Meredith, who's not much better, just had to stay out of trouble to earn a Grand Final Spot. The best umpire in the game was Razor and he was the emergency.

Stevic will get a game because he seems to be the AFL golden child and enforcer.
Rosebury will probably get a shot although he's no better than Ryan.
Meredith will probably get the last spot.

Wouldn't give Nicholls a ticket to get in. The further away he is from the ground, the better.

 

[ItsGameTime]

Surely can't get to the big dance. Although GWS were merely hanging by a thread and only a couple of goals down, that "fail to show intent to keep the ball in play" decision from the "BHF" was the start of the end for GWS and himself. His decision making over the next 10 minutes was nothing short of abysmal. Ryan had some shockers and Meredith, who's not much better, just had to stay out of trouble to earn a Grand Final Spot. The best umpire in the game was Razor and he was the emergency.

Stevic will get a game because he seems to be the AFL golden child and enforcer.
Rosebury will probably get a shot although he's no better than Ryan.
Meredith will probably get the last spot.

Wouldn't give Nicholls a ticket to get in. The further away he is from the ground, the better.

How about Schmitt? I think he is most worthy.

 

[jenny61_99]

Nicholls
Fisher
Ray
Chamberlain
Ryan
Meredith
Foot and
Stevic
are the worst umpires in the AFL

Schmidt (with no M) should be added to this list.

 

[LeverPuller]

Bump. Someone post the Melksham free against for "blocking". Nichols the umpire who paid it.

 

[Tulip]

Genuinely the worst free kick I think I've ever seen. Nicholls is woeful and an enormous ****head to boot.

 

[Dancing Potato]

Genuinely the worst free kick I think I've ever seen. Nicholls is woeful and an enormous ****head to boot.

Should have been rewarded with a goal for outbodying his opponent in a 1 on 1. I understand the concept of blocking but this was the classic case of shepherding a long bomb over the goal line, only 5-10 metres further out. Depending on the bounce it could very well have skidded through for a goal. Where's the consistency?

 

[BF Tiger]

Genuinely the worst free kick I think I've ever seen. Nicholls is woeful and an enormous ****head to boot.

Yeah, that's pretty bad. I hate this interpretation of a block where the ball and the two players are all in a line. Basically turned his back on his opponent and let his opponent run into him - his opponent was allowed to run around him. Didn't cut across the path or come in at an angle.

 

[Dyer_ear]

5 votes. Jacob Mollison is an absolute shocker. 32
4 votes. Curtis Deboy akin to a cheat. 11
3 votes. Matt Stevic over officious. 9
2 votes. Robert O’Gorman. Flog. 10
1 vote. Leigh Fisher. Bloody arrogant pounce. 3

Special mention to Ray Chamberlain and Matt Nicholls

 

[The Prosecutor]

Nathan Williamson is by far the worst.

Will not accept any other suggestions.

 

[LeverPuller]

Yeah, that's pretty bad. I hate this interpretation of a block where the ball and the two players are all in a line. Basically turned his back on his opponent and let his opponent run into him - his opponent was allowed to run around him. Didn't cut across the path or come in at an angle.

Yup. Melksham read the kick better and repositioned all while keeping his eye on the kick. He flat out beat Jonas in the play but got done over by Nichols.

Now if he had taken his eye off the ball to block him that’s different but he clearly watched it the whole way.

 

[Scroater]

Strange that Jonas' left arm goes over the shoulder on the side that Nicholls was standing and he picks a block for a person that has been out positioned fairly. That is just an horrendous decision.

These four umpire games are really sorting the chaff from the wheat. We get one fully fledged umpire, one who could still go either way and two that are just downright pus.

There have been some cracking finishes/games over the bye rounds and all the conversation seems to be about the different interpretations. The AFL have got this wrong.

 

[Leigh Lowther]

So after reading this thread it seems like the consensus is that every umpire is horrible. Do you expect umpires to possess some sort of omnipotence? As it turns out umpires are just regular people like everyone else - they can't get it right all the time and they certainly can't see everything thats going on. If you have a problem with the officiating then don't blame the umpires, blame the inadequacies of the system.

I see complaints but I don't see any of you guys offering suggestions in how their job can be made easier to achieve better consistency.

 

[Oscarman]

and two that are just downright pus.

Nicholls is worse than pus.

 

[DazzaTys]

I was amazed Nicholls paid that free. He’s got history with Port, most recently the game against Hawthorn. When I saw his name during the week I went into meltdown. He’s absolutely the worst umpire in the league.

 

[smasha]

Genuinely the worst free kick I think I've ever seen. Nicholls is woeful and an enormous ****head to boot.

That's a Barry Crocker ,Melksham gets contact first from the defender around the shoulder then Nicholls has the audacity to pay a 50 after Melksham kicks the goal thinking he got the free.
Nicholls,you are insipid.

Usually the poor umpiring this year has been from swallowed whistles which Richmond supporters have seen in abundance,Dan Rioli being the recipient of a fistful of jumper,"play,play on" say the rorters in fluro.

Jack R.,blocked so many times in marking contests,more swallowed whistles.

I'm predicting umpires will be playing Santa Claus this December from the amount of swallowed whistles.

Can't wait to see the sewerage sandwich we are dished up this Thursday night.