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There was a game against them a few years ago where we only received 4 frees for the entire match.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 10 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
The Bulldogs and Umpires: Time for a Royal Commission?
- Thread starter Lavender Bushranger
- Start date
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There was a game against them a few years ago where we only received 4 frees for the entire match.
- May 5, 2016
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The free kick count doesn’t have to be even - but on a side note, if it IS, it’s probably a fair indicator straight up that there is no grand conspiracy towards one team of another
I have said it for a while. The umpires love them. Back in 2016 it was all free kick Hawthorn but that's because Hawthorn were hated/top and everyone wanted to bring them down. In reality, it was the Dogs getting away with murder. For whatever reason they seem to be everyone's 2nd team so no one really complained. We were crucified in that semi. Dogs were the better team but they still every decision which wasnt 100% seem to go their way. Ask any Sydney supporters about the granny too
Last week, there has been much said about the umpiring in the last qtr but the first 3 were just as bad. When you have neutral supporters saying Hawthorn have been screwed by the umps you know something is off
Not saying there is anything untoward or corrupt but for whatever reason they get the rub off the green
Last week, there has been much said about the umpiring in the last qtr but the first 3 were just as bad. When you have neutral supporters saying Hawthorn have been screwed by the umps you know something is off
Not saying there is anything untoward or corrupt but for whatever reason they get the rub off the green
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The prelim umpiring was worse than the gf, which seems impossible.
When a player doesn't receive a 50m penalty for an opponent not just encroaching on the protected zone, but literally running into him, it's pretty obvious there's something suss going on.
I'm paraphrasing here but it's like Hinkley said last year after that ball hit the post in the last qtr v the crows. "They can apologize all they want but it's worthless because they aren't giving us the 4 point back"
telsor
Hall of Famer
While a consistently massive differential against one team is purely due to their game style...Even though when other teams copied said style last year, they got hugely different results from the umps.
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I’m not arguing one way or the other when it comes to the Dogs - I couldn’t give less f***s if I tried.
I’m merely pointing out that anyone bringing up the relevance of a level free kick count should be mindful of the fact that if there is a concerted effort to be biased towards one team, a level free kick count probably won’t happen.
In other words, a lopsided free kick count doesn’t necessarily prove that umpires are biased, but an even one should prove that they aren’t biased
Plugger35
Umpiring Expert
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I made that comment back in 2009 or 2010 when we were one of the best teams and deserved to get the better of the umpiring.
The Biulldogs continue to enjoy a charmed run with the umpires despite being a bog ordinary side.
I'm not the only one that has noticed how much your club has been favoured by the umpires the last few years, hence why this thread was created.
So how do you explain why the Swans and Hawthorn get such a bad deal from the umpires (as the table in this thread shows) despite being two of the better performed clubs over the last 10 years.
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Topkent
Confirmed ITK Drafting King
All that table proves is free kicks mean **** all compared to how the team plays.
Hawks and Swans with the cats are the 3 best sides of the last 16 years.
Although the WC is pretty hilarious, that can't be coincidence.
Plugger35
Umpiring Expert
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Hawthorn got a bad deal from the umpires? They were looked after quite nicely during their threepeat from memory.
The Swans got looked after too until GWS arrived, the AFL was like Michael Jackson losing interest in a teenager as soon as he had a new kid on the scene.
By your logic though Hawthorn and the swans should have been well looked after as 2 of the 3 best performed teams from the last 10 years. They were the first to the ball and making most of the play - yadda yadda. Yet, as the table in this thread shows they are the two most penalised teams (free kick differential) in the league.
Plugger35
Umpiring Expert
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The stats don't tell the whole story, Hawthorn got favourable treatment in big games at important times, the 2012 prelim against Adelaide for example.
The Swans haven't been favoured by the umpires since GWS came in, they got screwed by the umpires in the 2012 GF and then murdered in the 2016 GF.
Neither of those clubs compare to the Bulldogs or the Eaqles in terms of umpire love, the free kick stats in recent years show that they're the favouriite pets.
- Sep 12, 2013
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The idea that the Bulldogs were only penalised once in almost three quarters is still mind blowing.
GWS deserved to lose. They got smashed in the midfield, 68 i50s to 45. They tried to play the man and not the ball. Plus they were only in it because of our replacement backline players coughing up gimme goals. We have less injuries and we win comfortably, so any luck on the part of umpiring is balanced by injury luck.
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hawthorn never got an advantage like the dogs.. hawthorn just won close games for years so haters couldnt cope and scrutinised certain free kicks throughout those matches blaming umpires when the whole time it was game management , experienced [players and good coaching, u will be hard pressed to ever find lop sided free kick differentials involving hawthorn like the bulldogs get oh and lets not mention touching doggies players with open hands or grand finals.
Downhill Skier
Team Captain
They play a style that is a cross between Rugby League and American football.
- Jul 13, 2015
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Given we have the 2nd lowest free kick count I assume we were getting reamed at all those other times when it wasnt important?
With fairer free kicks we would have been winning by 3 or 4 goals instead of 3 or 4 points. There wouldnt have been big moments.
Dont tell me.... youre that guy? Was it right in front of you?
Downhill Skier
Team Captain
I am happy to admit FreeKickHawthorn does not exist unless it's against the Swans according to the Table.
- Jul 13, 2015
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Well, youd probably need to look at head to head games but its pretty clear that some teams consistently get more than fair and some consistently get unfair.
The problem is people focus on a single call at a single point in a game and ignore the dozens of other times when free kicks were or were not paid. Or when marks were called when it wasnt a mark, etc.
The idea that umpires only influence the game for a few seconds is ridiculous.
Downhill Skier
Team Captain
Yeah I am only stirring.
Even in the 2016 GF where we did genuinely get the rough end of the stick we still missed I think 3 kickable shots at goal in the first 10-15 minutes of the game that could have changed the whole momentum of the game.
You are going to get a bad run at times but the good teams overcome that
- Jul 13, 2015
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I was at the game and didnt think it was heavily one sided. The problem is in 50/50 situations the Dogs seem to get the rub 80/20.
Carey is generally an idiot but he is right when he says 50/50 should just be Play On.
- Mar 28, 2018
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I was there too, and have no bitch with the umps. It was the other nonsense I was responding to.
