Ump call spot on

[LostDoggy]

Wasn't expecting anything else from the AFL.

Jackie Epstein
Herald Sun, September 20, 2009

THE AFL has approved the controversial free kick awarded to Nick Riewoldt at the start of the third quarter of Friday night's preliminary final.

Bulldog Brian Lake was penalised for bumping Riewoldt and it gifted the Saint a goal before the ball was bounced to start the term.

"The view of the umpiring department is that the Lake-Riewoldt free kick was a correct decision," AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said yesterday.

"Brian Lake went specifically off his line to knock Riewoldt to the ground. Play hadn't started. The ball was obviously nowhere near the area and a player can't do that to another player, where he specifically goes and knocks him over.

"All clubs were notified specifically about this version of contact as being prohibited.

"It was late in the home-and-away season that all clubs were written to, so it is viewed as a correct and warranted free kick."

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Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said he would seek clarification from umpire department chiefs Rowan Sawers and Jeff Gieschen.

Former Dogs champion Doug Hawkins said it was a disgraceful decision.

"No way, no way," Hawkins said. "I know our game's changed from when I played, but that's not a free kick back in 1920 and it's not a free kick in 2009.

"It pulled the boys up a bit. But when Johnno (Brad Johnson) kicked that first goal of the last quarter I thought we were home. I thought here we go, you beauty, we're into our third Grand Final. It is shattering and we're not there in that last Saturday of September and that's what footy's all about."

Hawk champion Dermott Brereton said the free kick awarded by Shane McInerney wasn't in the spirit of the game.

"If you're an umpire, that is defendable to say it's the right decision," he said yesterday.

"Because it's behind play, it's away from the ball, it had nothing to do with play. Does that make it right in the way we've played the game? I would say no. And if you wanted to take the consistency angle, there was no difference between the contact made by Lake to Riewoldt and (Justin) Koschitzke to Lake straight after."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1225777058173

[Topdog]

Spot on from Dermie.

[bulldogtragic]

AFL just lost it's last semblence of respectibility and credibility.

[AndrewP6]

Of course those AFL wankers are gonna stick by one of their own, the word "wrong" isn't on heavy rotation there. It's disgraceful they approved of that, when, as Dermie said, the same thing was done by Kosi to Lake... and the EXACT SAME THING HAPPENS 100 TIMES A GAME, AND EVERY OPENING BOUNCE, AND DOESN'T GET PAID!!!!!!!!

(Sorry, I'm really riled at this one)

[donnan]

Of Course!! Of Course...the moment it happened you knew the AFL would back them in...SOFT, SOFT, SOFT...but technically there...in the spirit of the game? No.

[LostDoggy]

What i find funny, is it happened last night before the game even started.

I think it was Scarlett who got knocked down, yet nothing called.

[ratsmac]

That just makes me sick to the stomach.

[mjp]

Dermott is right though - the umpiring department can easily defend the free-kick. I didn't like it, but Lake would have known that there was the potential a kick would be paid if Riewoldt went to ground. I really dont understand why he did it - it was soft and it was petty and it was marginal...doesn't mean there wasn't a kick there 'under the rules'.

I was more upset with the non-awarding of the ruck free-kick to Hudson with 2 mins to go...they had put the whistles away for the most important stage of the game. Next week they wont pay a thing.

[BulldogBelle]

Was the AFL really going to say they should not have paid it...........

[Max469]

Next week they wont pay a thing.



Cause they wont - who are they going to choose from - they have both been the protected species of the season - it would confuse them if they have to pay a free.

[Remi Moses]

Of course those AFL wankers are gonna stick by one of their own, the word "wrong" isn't on heavy rotation there. It's disgraceful they approved of that, when, as Dermie said, the same thing was done by Kosi to Lake... and the EXACT SAME THING HAPPENS 100 TIMES A GAME, AND EVERY OPENING BOUNCE, AND DOESN'T GET PAID!!!!!!!!

(Sorry, I'm really riled at this one)

Couldn't agree more. You'll see this 1000 times again and not get paid. Yet you can slam a players head into the turf and no free kick is even played

[BulldogBelle]

The AFL and the umpires are NEVER going to admit that they were wrong

No one will remember that free kick in 1 years time, but they will remember who played in the 2009 Grand Final

Hope this makes our boys twice as determined, and twice as angry next season

[AndrewP6]

No one will remember that free kick in 1 years time, but they will remember who played in the 2009 Grand Final

I bloody will... and I'm tipping a few other WOOFers will too..

[KT31]

The AFL and the umpires are NEVER going to admit that they were wrong

No one will remember that free kick in 1 years time, but they will remember who played in the 2009 Grand Final
Hope this makes our boys twice as determined, and twice as angry next season

How so ?
Most of us still remember the bad decision by the goal umpire in the "97 prelim.

[LostDoggy]

Dermott is right though - the umpiring department can easily defend the free-kick. I didn't like it, but Lake would have known that there was the potential a kick would be paid if Riewoldt went to ground. I really dont understand why he did it - it was soft and it was petty and it was marginal...doesn't mean there wasn't a kick there 'under the rules'.

I was more upset with the non-awarding of the ruck free-kick to Hudson with 2 mins to go...they had put the whistles away for the most important stage of the game. Next week they wont pay a thing.

Riewoldt should play soccer, the soft sook. Most players wouldn't have fallen down, thus no free. You shouldn't get a free kick because you are a soft shit.