AFL Umpiring Director Jeff Gieschen is quoted in The Age on the incorrect deliberate rushed behind decision (The Age).
"[The umpire] just got caught slightly out of position, which meant that he was looking from behind the players and all he saw was the ball go straight through the behind ... from close range with a reasonable amount of force," Gieschen said.
If that's the case, Jeff, we have to ask why the hell the whistle was anywhere near the umpire's mouth. If he can't see what is going on, he cannot legitimately adjudicate on anything. If he didn't see McMahon handballing, then he couldn't judge intent, nor could he see that McMahon's body had been pushed, causing a misdirected handball.
This is not an issue of umpires' positioning. It is ridiculous to expect that the umpire(s) can see every contest from all possible vantage points. Sometimes a free kick will be missed simply because the umpire doesn't have sight of the incident.
Sadly however, under Gieschen's direction, AFL umpires increasingly make decisions which they cannot see — holding the ball decisions most prevalently. Not having seen the event properly cannot be an excuse for an incorrect decision. Sometimes no decision is the correct decision, whatever the roar from the crowd.
Release the Giesch!!!!!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
. . . all he saw was . . . [but he blew his whistle anyway!]
Labels:
Jeff Gieschen,
Rushed behinds,
Umpiring
AFL Umpiring Director Jeff Gieschen is quoted in The Age on the incorrect deliberate rushed behind decision (The Age)."[The umpire] just got caught slightly out of position, which meant that he was looking from behind the players and all he saw was the ball go straight through the behind ... from close range with a reasonable amount of force," Gieschen said.
If that's the case, Jeff, we have to ask why the hell the whistle was anywhere near the umpire's mouth. If he can't see what is going on, he cannot legitimately adjudicate on anything. If he didn't see McMahon handballing, then he couldn't judge intent, nor could he see that McMahon's body had been pushed, causing a misdirected handball.
This is not an issue of umpires' positioning. It is ridiculous to expect that the umpire(s) can see every contest from all possible vantage points. Sometimes a free kick will be missed simply because the umpire doesn't have sight of the incident.
Sadly however, under Gieschen's direction, AFL umpires increasingly make decisions which they cannot see — holding the ball decisions most prevalently. Not having seen the event properly cannot be an excuse for an incorrect decision. Sometimes no decision is the correct decision, whatever the roar from the crowd.
Release the Giesch!!!!!
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2 comments:
Agree 100% nothing is worse than an umpire guessing!
It would be interesting to know what instructions the umpires are given by the umpires panel, coaches etc. I'm guessing that they aren't asked to think! Perhaps I'm just cynical.
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