Umpiring in 2012

[Yardy Lard]

Some might disagree. Some might agree. I actually think the umpiring has been the best I have seen in 10 years.

Over the years, some of the umpiring has been very ordinary at best. In the games I have seen this year, there has only been one game, where the umpiring was absolutely horrendous. I think the standard of umpiring this year has been very, very good. You clearly get decisions that are terrible in all games, but this year in the games I have seen, the umpires are getting around 85% of stuff right. Over the years this figure has been considerably down. One year in particular was about 20/80. Perhaps the new umpires coach has made a difference.

Although easy to bag them, I actually think the standard this year is considerably better than in previous seasons. Phew..........you won't hear me say this too often.

[The Big Shrek]

I agree Luke. Last years in div 4 was good too.

[Caramels]

Better get your eyes checked guys, the standard has dropped at an alarming rate. Not an easy task I understand but nowhere near as good as it was a few years back.

[Executive Member]

I agree Luke. Last years in div 4 was good too.

Who is this Luke that you mention

[Jetters]

The umpiring is ok.

People in lower divs are as passionate as people in the higher divs and get shitty when the umpiring is not the equivalent standard.
If you're in div6/7 the umpiring is going to be bad, stop whinging; it's probably comparable to the standard of footy you're playing.

Having said that, the SAAFL competition would be a better competition with better quality umpiring, so what can we do about it?
We need to attract better quality football people into umpiring.
The environment we as clubs and the SAAFL provide for umpires is appauling.
They get dirt money (they would dedicate 4.5hrs on a Sat to umpiring there game inc. travel, arrving early etc, + 1.5hrs training)
They are 'working' in a shit environment; getting abused by every hero who thinks they know better but to lazy to do it.
And I reckon some of the time they would be legitimately concerned for their own safety at games.

Lets pay the umpires more!!!
They get $120 for something they dedicate 6hrs to each week and do it in shit conditions.
Lets pay them closer to $200. Hey, everyone on here says umpires 'ruin' games, so whats $80 a week to 'unruin' it.
People might then seriously consider taking up umpiring when they finish playing.
Clubs (including mine) should also impliment stricter codes of conduct with the way they behaviour towards umpires.

With better working conditions and more pay we can also expect more from our umpires.
We would attract strong umpires from other leagues.
We should have a greater stagnation of payments as umpires go up the divs....provide an incentive for doing a good job!
In our junior league this year we are paying our senior umpires more this season and they are committing more (IMO) because they are doing not just out of goodwill, but because there are reasonable incentives.

[Blacks130]

Some might disagree. Some might agree. I actually think the umpiring has been the best I have seen in 10 years.

Over the years, some of the umpiring has been very ordinary at best. In the games I have seen this year, there has only been one game, where the umpiring was absolutely horrendous. I think the standard of umpiring this year has been very, very good. You clearly get decisions that are terrible in all games, but this year in the games I have seen, the umpires are getting around 85% of stuff right. Over the years this figure has been considerably down. One year in particular was about 20/80. Perhaps the new umpires coach has made a difference.

Although easy to bag them, I actually think the standard this year is considerably better than in previous seasons. Phew..........you won't hear me say this too often.

I don't know if I'd go as far to say that it's the best it's been in ten years but it's certainly not as bad as some of the doomsdayers say it is. They do their job as good as anyone does in this competition and like a player who if he was better or more committed might be playing SANFL or AFL, so would the Umps.

I think it's possible we all watch Friday Night football and then have the same expectations when we go out to suburbia the next day and I don't think that's entirely fair on umpires or players.

[Yardy Lard]

Some might disagree. Some might agree. I actually think the umpiring has been the best I have seen in 10 years.

Over the years, some of the umpiring has been very ordinary at best. In the games I have seen this year, there has only been one game, where the umpiring was absolutely horrendous. I think the standard of umpiring this year has been very, very good. You clearly get decisions that are terrible in all games, but this year in the games I have seen, the umpires are getting around 85% of stuff right. Over the years this figure has been considerably down. One year in particular was about 20/80. Perhaps the new umpires coach has made a difference.

Although easy to bag them, I actually think the standard this year is considerably better than in previous seasons. Phew..........you won't hear me say this too often.

I don't know if I'd go as far to say that it's the best it's been in ten years but it's certainly not as bad as some of the doomsdayers say it is. They do their job as good as anyone does in this competition and like a player who if he was better or more committed might be playing SANFL or AFL, so would the Umps.

I think it's possible we all watch Friday Night football and then have the same expectations when we go out to suburbia the next day and I don't think that's entirely fair on umpires or players.

A statement based purely on what I have seen this year. I hear from other people, and at other clubs that the umpiring is not good, and some say considerably worse things. This is purely what I have seen, from the games I have been at. Only once has the umpiring been that bad in the 15 matches so far, that I thought it was absolutely horrendous. It is certainly better than what I would have said this time last year, or over the last number of years. And it has nothing to do with winning or losing, as some of the worst umpiring over the years, often comes when you win.