Umpires & Seagulls

[The Coon Dog]

Who decides which colours the umpires wear?

Whoever it is needs a good hard look at him/herself after last nights debacle!

It was great that Melbourne supported the Breast Cancer initiative by wearing navy & pink, but to don the umpires in navy & pink also was just plain silly!

There were a number of occasions last night where Melbourne players thought an umpire was a team mate. Just can't understand the logic.

Also, did anyone else have problems seeing the game through about a billion seagulls?

[aker39]

I sent a text to one of the umpires after the game and he was certain the Melbourne player handballed to an umpire in the last quarter, thinking it was another Melbourne player.
For an organisation that prides itself on it's professionalism, they certainly act like amateurs way to often for my liking.

[The Pie Man]

The boffins strike again!

Astonishingly poor judgement - and funnily enough, early in the game I noticed the seagulls more than usual, they sort of blended in with our clash tops a bit, and the view of the ground first half in particular looked like it had a white rinse over it (that's the only way I can find to describe it)

The ground looked my 'clearer' to look at in the 2nd half.

[Go_Dogs]

I sent a text to one of the umpires after the game and he was certain the Melbourne player handballed to an umpire in the last quarter, thinking it was another Melbourne player.

Yep, there was one fairly obvious one where it got sent in the umpires direction and no Melbourne player was really in the vicinity. Not sure what it looked like on the ground, but on TV is was fairly confusing at times with the uniforms.


The seagulls also made for difficult viewing, and honestly, at times I thought swarms of seagulls were Bulldogs players with the white jumper.





How much of a logistical nightmare would it be to move a game to Etihad when the conditions are like those last night? Would've been a much more enjoyable game under the roof - for those attending and those watching on TV.

[LostDoggy]

I was positive that one of our guy was about to get a tackle layed on them until i realised it was the umpire next to him.

With all the technology today surely they can do something about the bloody seagulls.

[The Coon Dog]

With all the technology today surely they can do something about the bloody seagulls.

Or have a few eagles hovering about!

[LostDoggy]

Also, did anyone else have problems seeing the game through about a billion seagulls?

Haha never seen so many in my life....they were everywhere......

Had all the seagulls last night, and all the dragonflies at last weks Williamstown game....

[AndrewP6]

They both give me the shits... umpires and seagulls. Just imagine the scene "OK, Melbourne is wearing blue and pink. What should our blokes wear, so as not to be confused with players, yet remain inconspicuous... I know, how about BLUE AND PINK???"

Morons...

I reckon one of our esteemed armed forces could be placed on the sidelines, machine gun in hand... that could take care of two problems... :)

[EasternWest]

I sent a text to one of the umpires after the game and he was certain the Melbourne player handballed to an umpire in the last quarter, thinking it was another Melbourne player.
For an organisation that prides itself on it's professionalism, they certainly act like amateurs way to often for my liking.

Who makes the decision on what colour they wear a39? You'd think that'd be a no-brainer.

[LostDoggy]

The umpires really cost Melbourne at crucial times in the game. A Melbourne player handballed straight to the umpire in the middle of the ground late in the game.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Get off their backs.

If it wasn't for those delightful and deep-thing folk at the AFL we would probably have lost last night.

[Flamethrower]

The seagulls have been a problem at the MCG for many years. The MCC have tried many different ways, some legal, some not so to move them on but nothing seems to work.

As for the umpires, I don't have a problem with them wearing pink for the occasion but they should have gone with a lighter shade. And as Clint Bartram, the Melbourne player who handballed towards an umpire, that wasn't the reason the Dees lost.

[immortalmike]

The umpires really cost Melbourne at crucial times in the game. A Melbourne player handballed straight to the umpire in the middle of the ground late in the game.

Similarly I thought that it looked like a few of our players rushed their possession due to the fact that it looked like they were surrounded by Dees players when at times it was an umpire that was making up the numbers instead. I could be wrong but sitting in the second row at ground level I could barely tell them apart.

[The Underdog]

How much of a logistical nightmare would it be to move a game to Etihad when the conditions are like those last night? Would've been a much more enjoyable game under the roof - for those attending and those watching on TV.

If it's a serious question, you'd need probably at least 6 weeks for ticketing alone. There is no way a game could be moved on the day due to weather, particularly as this was an "event" game with the Pink Lady event taking place around it. It may seem like a relatively simple thing but the logistics around it quickly become a nightmare.

[ledge]

Apparently a Melbourne official rang the AFL earlier on in the week when they found out the colours of the umpires and the AFLs response was bad luck.

[The Coon Dog]

Apparently a Melbourne official rang the AFL earlier on in the week when they found out the colours of the umpires and the AFLs response was bad luck.

I heard Adrian Anderson say on the radio today that the AFL got it wrong. He said ultimately its Jill Lindsay's decision.

He claimed the AFL knew well in advance what the umpires were going to wear, but Melbourne didn't know what their jumper would look like until this week.

When pressed Anderson claimed to 'his knowledge' Melbourne hadn't contacted the AFL during the week & claimed further that when it was apparent that it was an issue, it was too late & alternative tops weren't available!

[firstdogonthemoon]

The umpire's outfits clearly affected the Melbourne players. But not a lot of people are saying how it would have affected the dogs players the same way. If an umpire looks like a Melbourne player to a Melbourne player, they also look like Melbourne player to a dogs player. Even if it is only for a second, it affects decision making processes.

[immortalmike]

The umpire's outfits clearly affected the Melbourne players. But not a lot of people are saying how it would have affected the dogs players the same way. If an umpire looks like a Melbourne player to a Melbourne player, they also look like Melbourne player to a dogs player. Even if it is only for a second, it affects decision making processes.

Exactly what I was trying to say earlier.

[LostDoggy]

Our boys kicked and handballed to 'seagulls' and Melbourne players passed to umpires. Our boys thought umpires were Melbourne players. No wonder it was such a great game. To overcome all those obstacles was a miracle!!
Glad the 'Pink Lady' part of the evening happened before the rain came down. My pink poncho was great at keeping me dry during the game.

[LostDoggy]

Back before the umps went psychedelic, they wore royal blue socks. I saw our players handball or slap the ball in their direction from the bottom of packs on a number of occasions. Not a new problem. Return the umps to traditional white with black socks and
(a) get rid of the white monstrosities; and
(b) the only club disadvantaged is C'wood.

[aker39]

Who makes the decision on what colour they wear a39? You'd think that'd be a no-brainer.

It's certainly not the umpiring departments decision. As mentioned earlier, it is Jill Lindsay's departments decision.

[LostDoggy]

Should have done a head count ..Demons with 3 extra players on the ground. No wonder Cooney couldnt get a free kick with McDonald haging off him all night