Umpire Justin "Adolf" Schmidt v Magpies

[Magpietothemax]

Really happy that Nathan expressed publicly his frustration and palpable anger with the grossly unfair treatment Travis receives from umpires. He made it very clear that he wasn't just referring to this game, but that it was an ongoing issue. He challenged them to explain what "Travis has done" to be at the end of such unfair umpiring decisions. It was awesome, and I am hoping that it will put them on notice, that their blatant handicapping of Cloke is being observed.
No one is claiming that we lost tonight because of the umpires. Of course that would be detrimental to confronting and correcting the issues that we need to address (consistent intensity throughout a game, structural issues). But it is still very significant that tonight Nathan took a stand on behalf of Cloke...to achieve our best this season, we need Cloke to have the same rules applied to him as every other player.

[1970]

It must be difficult to award Brownlow votes when you know that you were the best on ground.

[3rd degree]

Schmidt is the worst 21 to 13

[dalyc]

Frees against and frees for

CFC FA(rank) FF(rank)
2015 8th. 9th
2014 15th. 18th
2013 16th 15th
2012 14th. 12th
2011 8th. 3rd
2010 9th. 9th

Last few years haven't been good on the frees for side. Interestingly, we rank low on the frees against. No idea what this means though.

[Stupied]

[dalyc]

cats FA(rank) FF(rank)
2015 3rd 17th
2014 7th 5th
2013 1st 1st
2012 1st 7th
2011 2nd 2nd
2010 1st 1st

Hawks FA(rank) FF(rank)
2015 12th 18th
2014 9th. 6th
2013 10th 3rd
2012 2nd 2nd
2011 1st 4th
2010 1st 5th

swans FA(rank) FF(rank)
2015 4th 13th
2014 5th 4th
2013 5th. 8th
2012 3rd 6th
2011 3rd 6th
2010 4th 4th

[Dave The Man]

[King Monkey]

The little bastard gave us a coupla cheapies in the last minute or 2 when we done too......

[3rd degree]

[Geek]

[Dave The Man]

[Woods]

[35forever]

I mean, clearly our biggest problem internaly right this minute is two teams in a row kicking half a dozen or more unanswered goals against us. When did that last happen? I'm guessing 2005. And of course our frankly incredible set shot retardation

BUT... in the interests of starting to level the playing field, something must be done at AFL level to redress the umpiring imbalance, it has gotten ridiculous and has most assuredly cost us many games and at least one flag over the years, especially this century. This was something I had hoped would improve with the departure of Pig-boy Demetriou, (as has the draw, the first fair one we've had in at least a dozen years, in fact it could be called advantageous to us, But it must be said that improvement was expected from Brizzo and StKilda) but it seems the bias is just too ingrained in these green maggots. If this crap happened in the NFL (no, not the Nanango Ferret Lovers) there would be rioting! I shit thee not! People would actually maim or even kill!

I wanted this to become a 'thing' last year when we beat Sydney despite being dry fist f***d against the boundary fence by the umpires, particularly early. It’s a lot easier to put these questions after a win for obvious reasons, but enough is enough! Surely? We don't want to be treated with kid gloves or to win the free kick count each week. Just a fair go, nothing more.

I did a sheet a couple of seasons ago to find the average free kicks each team got per year over ten years, and all 16 sides (obviously didn’t count GCS and GWS) fell into the 90's except West Coast with 110+ and Geelong with 106+, oh and Collingwood with 86.

Obviously these numbers are too low for a whole season, I can't remember the exact methodology I used, some kind of averaging calculation to account for variable season length etc, so the actual numbers would be around double these.
I mentioned it here at the time with all the details but it didn't pique much interest, however I urge any of you to try it out (while I dig out my papers), the stats are all there, between the AFL site and http://afltables.com/afl/afl_index.html you can get all the data you need to prove without fear of contradiction that we have been utterly screwed by the umpiring in this new century (and a fair bit in the old one too!) and should easily have 16 or 17 flags to our names). And this only counts frees awarded, it does not take into account where, when or under what circumstances frees were given, nor does it count 50 m penalties, or the attitude, demeanour or behaviour of the umpires, and it doesn’t take much to change a game!
(Eg: Round 8 2011: Advantage correctly paid, Pendles kicks goal, Pies win, and are undefeated going into R22, making a 90pt drubbing all but impossible and the 2012 flag a 'cakewalk'). Or this: The guy who won EVERY other best player award in 2010 was seen as BOG more than 2 - TWO!! - times by the umpires, (who instead are suckers for shaved heads, giving Juddy and Ablett a humungous 54 points and 13 BOGs between them while Swanny is deemed the equal of James Podsiadly or David Rodan with 2 BOGs) Collingwood picks up a flag AND a Charlie for the first time since 1930!

One thing umpires know, which most people don't seem to grasp, is that it takes very, very little to change history in our game (and in the world at large). A single free kick paid at a crucial moment can turn a game more easily than the most talented player could ever do. It needn't be in front of goal on the final siren, it could be any moment where one team has momentum. I've seen this done many times, even to sides other than Collingwood. IE: A Footscray game where they were charging home against Hawthorn 2 or 3 years ago, and their run of goals was crueled by a ridiculous free to give the Hawks a goal against the play, effectively ending Footscray's day. Another thing they are well aware of is how easily a game-changing performance can be made to disappear by giving a few judiciously timed unimportant frees to the side you've screwed in the last quarter to make a glaring differential disappear.
Yes, It takes so very little, and even that little can be hidden, and STILL we see Collingwood win every stat in a game except the Free kick count, often by miles, on a very regular basis. Take that fact, add it to the fact that our players are the least reported, least suspended in the game, and you have some questions which seem very difficult to answer.

I just wish Eddie or Bucks or Pert had the cajones to ask them! Sure, they have the odd well-timed dig now and then, but I'm not sure even they are aware how real and quantifiable the whole thing is!

[Dave The Man]

[35forever]

I really don't actually believe that there is betting fraud going on (there might be, just my opinion), I don't actually think there is a conscious conspiracy at all. My own belief is that this is simply a reflection of Collingwood being by far the most polarising club, so you are either a fan or you hate Collingwood, and have done most of your life. So given 18 clubs there are going to be a lot more people agin' us than fo' us If you were raised in Melbourne in the last 80 years Collingwood has always held this position, really since the fabulous and unmatched 4-peat in the 20's. Ask anyone in a Footscray or Essendon scarf which club they hate. It has become such a popular meme that many of the people who answer 'Collingwood' haven't the faintest idea why they despise us so!

No, I just think that umpires are like most, they're either fans or hate us, just like the commentators, though far less obvious! (thank god for Eddie and Kingy and Dermott, all lifelong Magpie fans). Unfortunately I know of no umpires who are Magpies at heart, but perhaps all umpires should be made to declare their favourite team before their careers in green begin. Eddie ain't allowed to call Magpie games so...
The solution is for the lot of them to undergo specific training in managing this deep cultural bias, and to overcome the desire to be the most important person out there, or the desire to show power, not an unnatural urge in front of 90,000 noisy people.

There's an alternative of course, Take Justin Schmidt out and have him shot and pissed on.



... just sayin'