The Lake 'Free' and Other 'Frees'

[Happy Days]

And I never said "poor Doggies"

Wasn't a dig at you, mainly the typical attitude I heard alot of after the siren.

The fact of the matter for mine is that umpiring never, ever is the deciding factor in a game (Rnd 21, 2005 excluded)

[AndrewP6]

Wasn't a dig at you, mainly the typical attitude I heard alot of after the siren.

The fact of the matter for mine is that umpiring never, ever is the deciding factor in a game (Rnd 21, 2005 excluded)

fair enough, we'll have to agree to disagree.

[jazzadogs]

The Riewoldt free was an absolute joke. We know it, the Saints know it, the AFL know it and McInerney will know it when he doesn't get to umpire in the grand final.

But who knows what would have happened without that. They might have got the clearance and kicked it to Riewoldt for a goal anyway. We don't know. As much as I abused the umpires, we lost it in the end. The umpires didn't win it for St Kilda, we lost it.

[Bulldog4life]

When a game is decided by a kick and a bit there is a reasonable chance that the umpire's mistakes can cost the losing team the game if that team isn't favoured by the umpire's decisions. Especially when there is a low number of goals kicked in the game, such as tonight. There is no doubt that we received a rough deal from the umpires tonight.

I agree that we didn't make the most of our chances nevertheless in my opinion I have no doubt that the umpire's bad decisions tonight cost us the game.

[jazzadogs]

When a game is decided by a kick and a bit there is a reasonable chance that the umpire's mistakes can cost the losing team the game if that team isn't favoured by the umpire's decisions. Especially when there is a low number of goals kicked in the game, such as tonight. There is no doubt that we received a rough deal from the umpires tonight.

I agree that we didn't make the most of our chances nevertheless in my opinion I have no doubt that the umpire's bad decisions tonight cost us the game.

They didn't cost us the game. They didn't help us win, but they didn't cost us the game.

I hate the umpires. I plan to put Shane McInerney's face on a dart board, and make sure I actually become good enough at darts to hit him.

But they didn't cost us the game.

[Bulldog4life]

They didn't cost us the game. They didn't help us win, but they didn't cost us the game.

I hate the umpires. I plan to put Shane McInerney's face on a dart board, and make sure I actually become good enough at darts to hit him.

But they didn't cost us the game.

If you read my post I say that it is "my opinion". I'm sure that there are a number of posters who disagree with me, such as yourself. A mate who is a Saints supporter and went to the game like myself agreed with me. You would be better to type in your post that it is only your "opinion" cause that's all it is.

[Remi Moses]

Agree with some of your points but the 6th one is pushing it slightly saying the lawyers[sorry umpires] always screw us. let's be honest you get games where you get the rub of the green and you get games where you get crucified

[LostDoggy]

Agree with some of your points but the 6th one is pushing it slightly saying the lawyers[sorry umpires] always screw us. let's be honest you get games where you get the rub of the green and you get games where you get crucified

Why did we have to get crucified in the prelim! Why do the football gods hate us?!

[LostDoggy]

Interesting posts so far...

Football is a game of momentum... and Umpires can change course of the game by their decisions. When teams get gifted a goal before a quarter starts (and the have only kicked 3 for the game) it changes the momentum. Agree that it wasn't the reason we lost 11 or so behinds didn''t help our cause.

Also the Aker deliberate out of bounds was a terrible call...
Shaggy holding the ball
Kozi free with Harbrow and Lake
Any Ruck free to them...

[LostDoggy]

WRONG.

We lost because:

- we couldn't capitalise on our opportunities in the first quarter

- we had many a non-contributor on the night

- we missed crucial goals in the fourth quarter

- Morris got beaten by Riewoldt

- our deliver into the 50 was suspect at best

ALL of which are more valid reasons than 'we were robbed, the umpires are against us, poor doggies'.

You have listed 5 things some of which St.Kilda had just as many of . Soft frees to St.Kilda were just as important if not more in the context of the game.

[truebeliever]

Riewoldt =protected species

[Max469]

The scumpires were not the best for us last night. But we had our chances and missed "by that much".

Yes, St Nick is the protected species and yes, decisions can change the course of the game, but we still had our chances and we still never won the game.

So, so proud of our boys.

It will be interesting to see if Geelong win tonight - how the umpires will cope with the 2 most protected teams in league go against each other. They will be confused, because they wont know who to give the free to.

But saying that, the umpires did not cost us the game.

We did the same things we did 2 weeks ago against Geelong and have been doing all year -

missing targets - failure to convert.

We had them on toast in the 1st quarter and did not take the advantage.

They came back (at times with a little assistance) and we still kept trying - but still made still mistakes.

How often did we not "man" up and they were free to run.

I love my boys and are so proud that we did not get thumped.

Yes, we need to have a clean out and I am one who said they did not want Hall - but we do need someone to be "tall".

[Topdog]

You have listed 5 things some of which St.Kilda had just as many of . Soft frees to St.Kilda were just as important if not more in the context of the game.

Agreed. 3 of their first 4 goals came from flat out incorrect decisions.

Why did we get penalised 40m so that we could get a free kick? We ended up turning the ball over 60m out from goal when it should have been our free kick on the wing.

Riewoldt getting the same kind of hit that happens in every game, on every part of the ground at the start of every quarter results in a goal and clearly lifts their spirits.

Whilst the umps didn't "cost" us the game, they certainly helped St Kilda to win.

[LostDoggy]

Agreed. 3 of their first 4 goals came from flat out incorrect decisions.

Why did we get penalised 40m so that we could get a free kick? We ended up turning the ball over 60m out from goal when it should have been our free kick on the wing.

Riewoldt getting the same kind of hit that happens in every game, on every part of the ground at the start of every quarter results in a goal and clearly lifts their spirits.

Whilst the umps didn't "cost" us the game, they certainly helped St Kilda to win.

Making myself sick thinking about the game last night.

[Topdog]

Sorry to do this Ernie but I forgot one. Ben Hudson jumps for the ball and is clearly held down by his shoulders/neck, play on. 20 seconds later Riewoldt goal.