Opinion Non-Crows AFL 4: The Centre Cannot Hold

[DJ75]

I miss the days when Port were "selling out" stadiums in China
View attachment 1379660

Still utterly hilarious.

It's the tents! They are all in the tents I tell ya!!

 

[cm_perfect]

Does the AFL have any kind of junior umpire academy or pathway?

 

[WetCrow1991]

Imagine if Phillips doesn't go to Port... though given her heritage she should & I wouldn't blame her.

Hatchard staying is huge.

I wouldn't be surprised if she just retired. Her best is well and truly behind her and it is probably financially smarter for her to head back to the US and focus on Basketball coaching full time.

 

[DaKids]

The no communication system was brought in due to the fact that some coaches were using it as a tactic to influence the umpire into making decisions favouring their team and a source of intimidation. I agree, it is not a good point, but there are legitimate reasons for clarifying things mid-match which that has now been removed and could cause more flare ups on the sidelines.

Re the parents being the source of issues, similar to the AFL dissent rule, the rules of the game are so subjective and open to interpretation there is always going to be varied levels of frustration at certain decisions. I am not talking about frothing at the mouth vitriol, more a 'How did he get rid of it?!' comment that will most likely cause an over-officiating umpire to pay a free kick against the team that he perceived that this comment came from.

Next thing they will do, is remove the ability for the crowd to yell out 'Baaaalllll!!'

I agree we need to stamp out dissent of umpiring decisions, but being pissed off about umpiring decisions is part of the game!

Sure - everyone likes to go and have a yell. With adults I get it.

What we’re talking about though is essentially children umpiring children. We all know that no amount of training or decision making competence will help when a call goes against a kid. It’s the Parents who have to be better.

Taking the baaaaaalll from an AFL game out to an U8 game is absolutely unecessary. All that matter is the kids are running around exercising and getting basic motor skills developed.

Anyway I’ll leave it there.

 

[relapse]

Is that Steven Marshmellow?

Yep

 

[adelaidecrows]

Still utterly hilarious.

It's the tents! They are all in the tents I tell ya!!

hilarious part about that is this question; Where are all the Chinese fans?

China was never a good idea and its better its over. All it was was a member funded jaunt for port execs and sponsors who didnt watch the game while a handful of dedicated fans who travelled actually watched the game, not to mention the state government wasting tax payer funded money for the piss up under the guise of opening South Australia to China. Terrible idea that was horribly carried out and was cringeworthy at best. Credit to Port for conning the AFL into participating in the self serving exercise.

 

[MatthewB]

Does the AFL have any kind of junior umpire academy or pathway?

Become an Umpire - Play AFL

umpire.afl

 

[adelaidecrows]

They meant that they gave out 12 thousand tickets. Down at the local wet market. The locals just got confused by the writing and thought it was toilet paper.

Port openly marketed they sold out each and every game. While, at the same time they also stated they gave thousands of tickets to schools for kids to come to the match (which they didn't) and they gave tickets outside of the ground and around the city. They also ran clinics for school kids and gave thousands in gear. The only thing making the game worthwhile was the Port fans conned into parting with thousands to attend a match under the impression the club was about to score multi million dollar sponsorship deals that would propel Port into the richest of the rich list of clubs.

 

[spenze]

Sure - everyone likes to go and have a yell. With adults I get it.

What we’re talking about though is essentially children umpiring children. We all know that no amount of training or decision making competence will help when a call goes against a kid. It’s the Parents who have to be better.

Taking the baaaaaalll from an AFL game out to an U8 game is absolutely unecessary. All that matter is the kids are running around exercising and getting basic motor skills developed.

Anyway I’ll leave it there.

Do they yell that at under 8s?

Like seriously?

 

[DJ75]

I wouldn't be surprised if she just retired. Her best is well and truly behind her and it is probably financially smarter for her to head back to the US and focus on Basketball coaching full time.

100%. She has nothing to prove here.
Her wife is also from the US and hasn't been home for over 2 years. I suspect they will want to live there for a while.

 

[StickerMan]

Sure - everyone likes to go and have a yell. With adults I get it.

What we’re talking about though is essentially children umpiring children. We all know that no amount of training or decision making competence will help when a call goes against a kid. It’s the Parents who have to be better.

Taking the baaaaaalll from an AFL game out to an U8 game is absolutely unecessary. All that matter is the kids are running around exercising and getting basic motor skills developed.

Anyway I’ll leave it there.

My experience and comments is more aimed at the Premiership grades not so much the little ones. I agree, there is no excuse for any parental commentary towards umpires in under 8s games. You would be surprised however, as I umpired a couple of games for my son's U8s in 2020 as there was a shortage of umpires due to COVID and some of the abuse I copped from opposition parents was unbelievable. They didn't like it when I gave them some feedback, however

Someone mentioned earlier about parents getting more heated/invested as tackling is introduced, and again, my son's team was an example. My lad is on the small side and last year was his first year of modified tackling. He was getting picked up, rag-dolled and going down hurt without a free kick getting paid and that is where the frustration boils over from a parent's perspective as he was getting injured and not being protected. If the umpire pays the free kick then the actions stop and the kids can go for the footy knowing they will be protected. It is when this doesn't happen when parents get most frustrated and annoyed.

I coached a game a couple of years ago where it was modified tackling and half my team was coming off crying and injured as the umpire wouldn't protect them and allowed the opposition to sling tackle and crunch my girls repeatedly.

It is instances such as these that make it near impossibly to bite your tongue and just 'wear it'

 

[brucetiki]

Port openly marketed they sold out each and every game. While, at the same time they also stated they gave thousands of tickets to schools for kids to come to the match (which they didn't) and they gave tickets outside of the ground and around the city. They also ran clinics for school kids and gave thousands in gear. The only thing making the game worthwhile was the Port fans conned into parting with thousands to attend a match under the impression the club was about to score multi million dollar sponsorship deals that would propel Port into the richest of the rich list of clubs.

And Port have history of this well before China.

They pretty much did the same with Darwin in the 2000's

 

[adelaidecrows]

Do they yell that at under 8s?

Like seriously?

Not in my experience. Its usually u12s it kicks into gear. Plus there are severe punishments to clubs who don't control parents.

 

[DJ75]

Port openly marketed they sold out each and every game. While, at the same time they also stated they gave thousands of tickets to schools for kids to come to the match (which they didn't) and they gave tickets outside of the ground and around the city. They also ran clinics for school kids and gave thousands in gear. The only thing making the game worthwhile was the Port fans conned into parting with thousands to attend a match under the impression the club was about to score multi million dollar sponsorship deals that would propel Port into the richest of the rich list of clubs.

Port supporters falling hook, line and sinker for their marketing spin? Hmm sounds familiar....

 

[adelaidecrows]

Port supporters falling hook, line and sinker for their marketing spin? Hmm sounds familiar....

The reality is Crows fans would have flooded to China if it was Adelaide who went. So I can't blame the supporters. But I can blame the club for being disingenuous which they clearly were. And because the media got a free trip, they ended up being blinded to the true nature.

 

[relapse]

hilarious part about that is this question; Where are all the Chinese fans?

China was never a good idea and its better its over. All it was was a member funded jaunt for port execs and sponsors who didnt watch the game while a handful of dedicated fans who travelled actually watched the game, not to mention the state government wasting tax payer funded money for the piss up under the guise of opening South Australia to China. Terrible idea that was horribly carried out and was cringeworthy at best. Credit to Port for conning the AFL into participating in the self serving exercise.

I have posted this story before, but I used to work with a guy who went twice 2017 and 2018.

Essentially he said that being at the game felt like going to an interstate away game as aside from the staff at the ground everyone else was either over there from Australia or were ex-pats who were living in China.

He enjoyed the experience of going to China, but found the game and atmosphere both times to be really disappointing.

 

[DaKids]

Do they yell that at under 8s?

Like seriously?

No that was just an example - no tackling at U8 so no holding the ball. No question kids umpiring at that level cop yelling and abuse though.

 

[adelaidecrows]

I have posted this story before, but I used to work with a guy who went twice 2017 and 2018.

Essentially he said that being at the game felt like going to an interstate away game as aside from the staff at the ground everyone else was either over there from Australia or were ex-pats who were living in China.

He enjoyed the experience of going to China, but found the game and atmosphere both times to be a really disappointing.

Well it was a gimmick. Its like the atmosphere at a t20 game. Gimmicks don't hold the excitement. Covid did Port a favour as it ended before they played in front of 500 ex pats. (with 15,000k in the tents out the back....apparently)

 

[jo172]

They always seemed very proud for having developed a chinese version of polo in the park.

 

[skam85]

Struggling ruckman 'a work in progress', Pies tap into Anzac history

Craig McRae is still working through where Brodie Grundy best fits in the side

www.afl.com.au

Imagine being held to a seven year deal for a guy you're "struggling to find the best use" of.

 

[DJ75]

Struggling ruckman 'a work in progress', Pies tap into Anzac history

Craig McRae is still working through where Brodie Grundy best fits in the side

www.afl.com.au

Imagine being held to a seven year deal for a guy you're "struggling to find the best use" of.

on a Million dollars a year as well. Incredible.

 

[StickerMan]

on a Million dollars a year as well. Incredible.

Maybe a swap for ROB isn't too far fetched!

On SM-G986B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Maddogmetro]

I just have to go on with this, and yeah I know it’s a hobby horse… but it illustrates a broader epidemic in general society (in before Gen Xer Stones Throw tells me to start my own podcast. Who’s to say I haven’t?)

This epidemic is known as “the expert class.“

Closely related to the “experts” is the “managerial class.” (Thanks Brad Scott)

These are all very serious people, of course. “Have you seen this study, have you seen this chart, look at this modelling! If we wave our arms at umpires, it results in a 76.7% reduction in the participation of umpires at junior levels! Arm waving has been proven to result in a 45.6% increase in mental health issues in sports officials!”

People who dare to challenge the “experts” are, of course, the great unwashed. The uneducated. They’re just yobbos and hicks who want umpires (and grannies) to die in the streets, obviously.

The truth of the matter is that a ban on waving your arms at the umpire comes from the same ”expert” class of the last two years — you know, the ones who banned singing, gave us “vertical consumption” and “15 days to slow the spread.”

It is the SAME syndrome. And it is everywhere.

The thing I can’t believe is how anybody is surprised this is where we’ve landed.

Impressive that you've turned a conversation about umpiring, into a conversation about Covid. Well done for shoehorning that in here.

Please also tell me where the 'arms out 50m' decision has been based on a statistic?

You're literally making things up to suit your little rant about an entirely different topic.

It's weird.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

My experience and comments is more aimed at the Premiership grades not so much the little ones. I agree, there is no excuse for any parental commentary towards umpires in under 8s games. You would be surprised however, as I umpired a couple of games for my son's U8s in 2020 as there was a shortage of umpires due to COVID and some of the abuse I copped from opposition parents was unbelievable. They didn't like it when I gave them some feedback, however

Someone mentioned earlier about parents getting more heated/invested as tackling is introduced, and again, my son's team was an example. My lad is on the small side and last year was his first year of modified tackling. He was getting picked up, rag-dolled and going down hurt without a free kick getting paid and that is where the frustration boils over from a parent's perspective as he was getting injured and not being protected. If the umpire pays the free kick then the actions stop and the kids can go for the footy knowing they will be protected. It is when this doesn't happen when parents get most frustrated and annoyed.

I coached a game a couple of years ago where it was modified tackling and half my team was coming off crying and injured as the umpire wouldn't protect them and allowed the opposition to sling tackle and crunch my girls repeatedly.

It is instances such as these that make it near impossibly to bite your tongue and just 'wear it'

Not just Aussie Rules either, my son in under 9's soccer last game copped a horrendous tackle from behind as in the type that would have easily broken an ankle, but the kid who did it wasn't sent off. I had to walk away for a few minutes once I knew my lad was OK cause I was fuming.

 

[Crow till I die]

Not just Aussie Rules either, my son in under 9's soccer last game copped a horrendous tackle from behind as in the type that would have easily broken an ankle, but the kid who did it wasn't sent off. I had to walk away for a few minutes once I knew my lad was OK cause I was fuming.

But to be fair, at that age group its generally the parents that are officiating games, running lines etc (if you are in clubland) so its hard for a parent to send off a kid as most parents have little understanding of the rules and what they can and cannot do to kids in terms of warnings and sendings off etc

I am not sure how it works for school sports - do they have proper refs there?