It’s not a headline we could have predicted. Having seen all or most of five games from round one, we are concerned that alien bodysnatchers have abducted Jeff Gieschen and are conducting fiendish experiments on him while his doppelganger administers the AFL’s whistleblowers.
Calling occupants of interplanetary most extraordinary craft: Please keep Jeff, we like the way the doppelganger is going at the moment! (with apologies to The Carpenters).
There were some clanger decisions in each game, but we expect that will happen and they even out over the season.
The biggest “problem” was, the umpires having put the whistles in their pockets, fans are used to tiggy touchwood frees being plucked from nowhere, so we were screaming for frees to no avail. We’re sure most of us can learn to be sensible again.
Of course, we can’t be completely happy, so the holding the man/holding the ball rule interpretation needs some sprucing up, Alien Jeff. It seems at the moment that a bloke can pretty much drop the ball when tackled — whatever happened to incorrect disposal? — and then be held through a 720 with pike in a tuck position — whatever happened to holding the man? — without the sound of a whistle disturbing the game’s flow.
Now, we’re not looking for a return to the days of the Spanish Inquisition interpretations of the past few seasons, but a little mellowing of the current laissez faire approach would be appreciated.
We’re also appreciating a more mellow approach to the “You dragged it in and didn’t get rid of it!” so efficiently delivered by Steve McBurney (haven’t caught up with his game yet).
On the whole, the officiating has been quite . . . sensible. [If I turn ‘round, will I be in a Saints’ Board meeting parallel universe?]
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