Riewoldt aka German Diver, the most pathetic protected species in the AFL

[LostDoggy]

Nick Riewoldt, I don't care how good you are, how hard you work, or how many points you score for my Supercoach team (thank you), but you are an absolutely pathetic disgrace for your milking of completely non-existent free kicks, not in play (ala Lloydy or Johnno) but when absolutely nothing is happening.

However, you have accomplices in this pathetic, disgusting display of one-sided umpiring -- I don't know what you've done for the AFL umpiring association (especially McBurney) in the past, but it must have been something special, because you are the only player that gets paid free kicks that no one else in the entire league is entitled to. When it comes to you, suddenly every rule in the book becomes applied to the letter of the law, so that bumps, pushes and holds that everyone gets away with (especially your teammate, the cheating pest Clinton Jones) isn't allowed against yourself. For every free kick you get, Clinton Jones should be giving away twenty.

Congratulations, Nickhead Riewoldt, you are even more protected than the likes of Chris 'I can throw the ball instead of handballing it' Judd, Gary 'I can turn 720 degrees and still not be called for holding the ball' Ablett, and Lance 'dropping the ball isn't incorrect disposal' Franklin.

And that's saying something. You sicken me, you pathetic bottom feeding sook.

[AndrewP6]

Nick Riewoldt, I don't care how good you are, how hard you work, or how many points you score for my Supercoach team (thank you), but you are an absolutely pathetic disgrace for your milking of free kicks.

However, you have accomplices in this pathetic, disgusting display of one-sided umpiring -- I don't know what you've done for the AFL umpiring association in the past, but it must have been something special, because you are the only player that gets paid free kicks that no one else in the entire league is entitled to. When it comes to you, suddenly every rule in the book becomes applied to the letter of the law, so that bumps, pushes and holds that everyone gets away with (especially your teammate, the cheating pest Clinton Jones) isn't allowed against yourself. For every free kick you get, Clinton Jones should be giving away twenty.

Congratulations, Nickhead Riewoldt, you are even more protected than the likes of Chris 'I can throw the ball instead of handballing it' Judd, Gary 'I can turn 720 degrees and still not be called for holding the ball' Ablett, and Lance 'dropping the ball isn't incorrect disposal' Franklin.

And that's saying something. You sicken me, you pathetic bottom feeding sook.

Post of the year so far, IMO.

[LostDoggy]

Post of the year so far, IMO.

2nd this, great post.

[Mantis]

Was thinking the same.

I hope we are the team that can make him cry this year.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Indefensible.

If they are serious about reporting players for taking a dive then Riewoldt must be reported.

There were two distinct movements. Grundy gave him a bump and Riewoldt went forward an inch or two, and then in a second movement he fell to the ground. There is no way they cannot report without losing the last shred of credibility they have.

[comrade]

Indefensible.

If they are serious about reporting players for taking a dive then Riewoldt must be reported.

There were two distinct movements. Grundy gave him a bump and Riewoldt went forward an inch or two, and then in a second movement he fell to the ground. There is no way they cannot report without losing the last shred of credibility they have.

Mate, it won't even get looked at.

[AndrewP6]

Indefensible.

If they are serious about reporting players for taking a dive then Riewoldt must be reported.

There were two distinct movements. Grundy gave him a bump and Riewoldt went forward an inch or two, and then in a second movement he fell to the ground. There is no way they cannot report without losing the last shred of credibility they have.

Fully agree... I just don't hold much hope that they'll book him though.

[chef]

The umpires need to stop paying them.

[LostDoggy]

Mate, it won't even get looked at.

They'll probably suspend Mattner for three weeks for bumping the Nickhead behind play.

[Max469]

Kosi will go, so that is a start.

McBurney is an absolute moron and needs to be looked at in regards to his assistance to St Kilda.

Tonight's performance would have won every award going around. Disgraceful.

It is only round 1 and everyone is screaming. Going to be a long season.

[choconmientay]

I hate him for his diving and theatrical play. I hate him for the way he conduct himself. That is why he will never be in my DT or SC!

[G-Mo77]

The umpires need to stop paying them.

That's it right there. That dick head McBurney set the precedent last year, Riewoldt's going to do it as much as he likes now and get a free shot on goal.

Blatant dive and the umpires and AFL will still reward it.

I'd still love to choke the life out of that maggot. I haven't forgotten and will never forget that decision McBurney.

[Remi Moses]

The worst thing is The officials [incompetent at worst] fall for it every time. I turned off before half time when Grundy gave a free away for daring to even lay a finger on The German diver. The bloke models himself on Juergen Klinsmann [another German diver]hopefully like his ancestors know all to well about finishing second

[jazzadogs]

Didn't see much of the game, but did see the final quarter, and I was disgusted by Riewoldt's dive. Sure, he got bumped, but the force wouldn't have been much greater (if any) than the bump he gave to Grundy (or was it Mattner?) to incite them.

I still respect Roo for his running and footballing ability, but these situations are going to lose him a lot of fans and respect.

[Sedat]

There's no denying that Reiwoldt's innate ability to gratuitously exaggerate contact and his subsequent ability to lure free kicks from the umpires has been spectatularly successful at critical moments in recent history. With that in mind, I cannot see him stopping the practice any time soon. However he is treading a dangerous path by continuing to make the umpires look like gullible fools. Sooner or later the penny will drop with the umpiring fraternity that they are being made to look like halfwits and will start to react negatively - it happened to Matty Lloyd later in his career and as sure as my arse points to the ground it will start happening to Roo. Umpires are only human and would not take too kindly to being consistently made to look stupid. So I would expect to see blatant infringements against Roo start to be ignored before too long, and with any luck one such blatant infringement against him will be ignored in a tight final that will prove incredibly costly to both him and his team.