Riewoldt Favoured by Umps??? You're kidding me.

[bergholt]

Riewoldt gets the best run out of all the forwards. Brown, Fevola, Mooney and Franklin get absolutely nothing compared to him. It's not his fault, it's the umpires.

They play different styles so I'm not sure you can compare them. Just because they're all playing the same position doesn't mean they're playing the same game.

Riewoldt very rarely initiates contact with his opponent in a one-on-one. Almost invariably he leads his opponent to the ball and puts his arms up to mark it. When caught underneath a high ball, if there is grappling, he's usually the first to let go and leap for the ball. Watch him play and you'll see this.

Given this style, he's far more likely to get frees. Hall, especially, has a completely contrasting style of initiating contact in every situation. Brown and Mooney do this a fair bit as well. Franklin is unpredictable but just as likely to get caught in a one-on-one with the ball coming down on his head as on a good lead. Fev tends to get the ball on a lead, but when caught in a one-on-one he's pretty poor, so he gives away frees as well.

It's about their style. Watch the game carefully and you'll see that.

 

[Big Nasty]

Yep. But how ****ing good has Riewoldt been this year? Should win the brownlow but won't as the umpires prefer midfielders.

No doubt. He's been dominate this year, but I'd prefer the umps to be a little more leniant on the whistle, Particulalry when it comes to the most crucial part of the ground.

 

[boncer34]

Wrong. Simply factually incorrect.

Which facts are you talking about?

One player out of Riewoldt, Lloyd, Fevola, Richo, Hall, Tredrea, Frankling, Roughead, Pavlich, B. Johnson and Lucas averages more then a free kick a game.

Go ahead and pick which one.

Oh and just a fun irrelevant fact. Riewoldt will have picked up more Brownlow votes then free kicks against come this monday.

 

[hawks_time]

It's a weird one. He doesn't necessarily get favoured by the umps it just seems they're more likely to blow the whistle when there is a free kick there then when compared to other forwards. You can't blame Riewoldt though, it's not like he asks for free kicks and in my opinion doesn't dive (or at least, not considerably more so than many other people, including Franklin)

 

[Munga]

He's the best forward in the game, and most defenders can't stop him legally.

 

[crownie]

He was having knee problems and wasn't expecting a bump so if anything he probably staggered and slipped.

well replays prove he didnt slip and he was jogging fine and with no contact to the knee he wouldn't of staggered.

 

[noodle]

you don't get free kicks for being a soft ****.

 

[Trjn]

He's the best forward in the game, and most defenders can't stop him legally.

Most defenders can't stop:

- J. Brown
- Bradshaw
- Franklin
- Fevola
- B. Johnson
- Lloyd
- Richardson
- Pavlich
- Mooney
or a few other tall marking forwards, legally.

Riewoldt may be the best (or very close to it, depending on who you ask), but the fact of the matter is that he does get a better run from the umpires than the others. He is favoured in the sense that the others are not, in an ideal situation, every forward would be getting the free kicks that Riewoldt gets because they happen to them as well but simply aren't rewarded.

 

[Plugger35]

You cant argue with these stats, Reiwoldt is CLEARLY favoured by Umps.

Those stats don't prove anything. Riewoldt plays in front more than most other forwards so he earns more frees than he gives away. It also doesn't show how many free kicks that Riewoldt missed out on that he should have got.

 

[bergholt]

Which facts are you talking about?

One player out of Riewoldt, Lloyd, Fevola, Richo, Hall, Tredrea, Frankling, Roughead, Pavlich, B. Johnson and Lucas averages more then a free kick a game.

Go ahead and pick which one.

Go ahead and pick which one plays in a style which is most likely to draw free kicks. The "fairest" style, if you like.

 

[crownie]

Go ahead and pick which one plays in a style which is most likely to draw free kicks. The "fairest" style, if you like.

Brown.

he never dives.

 

[sherb]

I wonder if Lake's bump would have knocked over Hall or Brown, or if Riewoldt would have gone to ground like that in a contest for the ball? I doubt it on all counts.

He went to ground to try to milk a free kick. And all credit to him, the umpire was stupid enough to pay it.

Until they stop doing so, the incentive remains for players to have jelly legs in minor off the ball incidents like this.

 

[sainter12riewoldt]

Lance Franklin 2009
FF - 22
FA - 40

Barry Hall 2009
FF - 9
FA - 24

Brad Johnson 2009
FF - 18
FA - 28

Saint Nicholas 2009
FF - 35
FA - 18

And the OP is seriously saying he doesn't get an armchair ride?

Stop talking all that bullshit about 1 on 1 its unclear.... the Majority of the time Buddy/Hall/Johnson are CLEARLY infringed but the umps put the whistle away.

Lay a finger on saint nick and you might aswell have punched him in the back of the head.

well maybe if hall stpped punching players and buddy stopped complaining so much, theyll get more

 

[Trjn]

Brown.

he never dives.

He wasn't in the list to chose from.

 

[spiraldiver]

Lies, damn lies and statistics. The idea that Riewoldt is an umpires' favourite will be one of those enduring myths that will blight the career of a quality player. He's been a towering figure for the Saints this year and deserves the Brownlow.

 

[sainter12riewoldt]

I wonder if Lake's bump would have knocked over Hall or Brown, or if Riewoldt would have gone to ground like that in a contest for the ball? I doubt it on all counts.

He went to ground to try to milk a free kick. And all credit to him, the umpires were stupid enough to pay it.

Until they stop doing so, the incentive remains for players to have jelly legs in minor off the ball incidents like this.

they only did what they said theyll do. LAke was warned. if the umpire told you if you do it again theyll pay a free would you do it again?

 

[crownie]

they only did what they said theyll do. LAke was warned. if the umpire told you if you do it again theyll pay a free would you do it again?

the umpires said if you get bumped and go to ground then its a free kick.

so where was the free when Kosi bumped Lake straight after he went to ground?

oh wait i bet Lake dived and Reiwoldt didn't

 

[sainter12riewoldt]

the umpires said if you get bumped and go to ground then its a free kick.

so where was the free when Kosi bumped Lake straight after he went to ground?

oh wait i bet Lake dived and Reiwoldt didn't

watch the replay again and youll see Lake went to bump kosi at the same time kosi bumped him.

 

[bergholt]

Brown.

he never dives.

Nope. But he wrestles a lot, and often that means he initiates contact with his opponent. The more you do that, the more free kicks you're going to concede, because in a wrestle the player initiating the contact is more likely to give away the free.

If you put your arms above your head and jump, as Riewoldt usually does, it's pretty hard to give a free away.

 

[crownie]

watch the replay again and youll see Lake went to bump kosi at the same time kosi bumped him.

so where was the free kick to Lake?

 

[sherb]

they only did what they said theyll do. LAke was warned. if the umpire told you if you do it again theyll pay a free would you do it again?

Doesn't detract from the umpires' stupidity though, it just means Lake was stupid as well.

All those bemoaning how "soft" the game is becoming - St Kilda supporters included - should be slamming rubbish free kicks like this. Otherwise you are in essence supporting the very thing you are criticizing.

 

[Violent Stool]

You cant argue with these stats, Reiwoldt is CLEARLY favoured by Umps.

Oh jesus.

You're not one of these people who think an even free kick count equals as well umpired game are you?

Those stats don't mean, say, or prove anything.

 

[Violent Stool]

Nope. But he wrestles a lot, and often that means he initiates contact with his opponent. The more you do that, the more free kicks you're going to concede, because in a wrestle the player initiating the contact is more likely to give away the free.

If you put your arms above your head and jump, as Riewoldt usually does, it's pretty hard to give a free away.

Correct.

And when you do what Roo does, and as well as he does, 90% of the time the defender infringes.

The umpires however don't pay them.

Hence my amazement at him being seen as a fave of the umps. Just ridiculous.

 

[sainter12riewoldt]

Doesn't detract from the umpires' stupidity though, it just means Lake was stupid as well.

All those bemoaning how "soft" the game is becoming - St Kilda supporters included - should be slamming rubbish free kicks like this. Otherwise you are in essence supporting the very thing you are criticizing.

im not saying it wasnt soft. you cant blame the umpires for it, they are only going by what the AFL tells them to do.
its the AFL that has started to turn the game soft not the umpires

 

[Violent Stool]

Soft?

Why is cowardly taking out an opponent who isn't looking, off the ball, considered a tough part of the game that should be protected??