AFL, we have a problem

When Robo declares it's the worst he's seeing in thirty years of covering the game. AFL, we have a problem with umpiring, no matter what you say. In signing off on contentious calls, Hello and welcome to the Herald Sun Footy Podcast. I'm Andy Belaise. Today Glenn McFarlan will join me to chat about the recent umpiring decisions that have footy fans up in arms and what the AFL needs to do about it. And the Hawks they're the most exciting team in footy right now and can they, heaven

Andy, how are you well? I'm all right, but the umpires angst about it? Oh?

There is that basically all that we've been talking about for two days. And it really kind of has overshadowed what was an incredible comeback win by calling it one.

For the ages it was.

And yeah, it sort of overshadowed the last few rounds, hasn't it. It's been probably a pretty difficult last three or four weeks for the umpires, and we don't blame them in their entirety.

They have got the hardest job in the world.

And I'll preface what I'm going to say by this little rider to say that they have got the hardest job in the world and they're asked to officiate in almost unbearable circumstances sometimes, but when they get it wrong, you need to say they got it wrong. Yes, because it's there in front of us. We can see that the mistakes that they actually make, and.

These days even more so because there out there are multiple angles. There's absolutely slow motion behind the goals is up in the sky. There's all these angles that where we can pinpoint yes, that was a throw, even though it may not have looked like it.

No, in real.

Time, and I copped the throw bits. I cop that because umpires can't. We're basing it on the fact that we're watching it on the camera. And as you say, we've got the best angles. Sometimes there's a player in front of them, or sometimes they're out of position. Yes, there's four of them out there. I'm of the theory there still should be three. But in regard to that, like they're in a position that they're going to miss

They're the ones that you go, well, this is where the umpire got it wrong.

And Laura Kay and she you know, probably confused everyone a little bit yesterday by talking about you know, you know, where things were going with that and sort of supporting the upile. The umpire got it wrong in the first part where he needed to call play on and he didn't call play on when a couple of calling of players over the mark. Forget for a moment that Bailey Scott's moved off his line until the umpire actually calls on, it's not play.

On exactly, and so it's one of the others. It's play on, yep, or it's a fifty correct, it's one or the other. If the whistle wasn't blown for play on, it has to.

Be hundred percent. And that's the issue.

And that's the problem with what Laura K said. Isn't it that she created this, She did this this gray area of well it should have been play on, so the players.

You know, it was.

It was a very confusing and underwater and I'm one of those people that and Robo interesting column today he said it's the worst officiating he'd seen in thirty years.

It is damning, and I get where he's coming from.

I don't think it is because I've seen some instances in the past, but I get where he's coming from. And the front part of it is from his perspective as well. I think is the frustration that you know things are happening like that.

We get it.

Let me be clear and say I make mistakes every single day, like I'm probably making one. By the end of this podcast here I will have made several. But the point I'm trying to make is we all make mistakes own up to them. I actually respect people that say, geez, we got this wrong, We're going to fix it, We're

Tick that off and I'm like, how can you tick that off?

And also the mac Andrew one, which fortunately enough, you know, it's not fortunately enough for Gold Coast, but fortunately enough for those of us watching, they did come out and say they got that one wrong, which was horribly wrong.

We've just had a you know, a two.

To three week period where it's been really tough, and it's going to continue to grow the talk about umpires. But let's be honest when we've made a mistake. Let's say we've made a mistake.

Here, because they get as you say, they get so much right, so absolutely, no one, no one begrudges. Back in the day when there was one umpire, absolutely and so many mistakes, people just laughed about correct and they'd pull the umpire, pull a free kick out fifty meters away, blow the whistle, and everyone to be up in the air, and then.

Yeah, and it happens.

You know, isn't it weird that these things happen, you know, sometimes towards the end of the game.

I'm sure if it happened in the second quarter, it's not going to really matter. You don't talk about it as much.

And back then, really, when we're talking about third years ago, you know, we were really seeing a couple of games a weekend. We weren't watching every single game World Wars, all the replays correct, correct, But I just just I don't know what what what the what we do?

How do we fix this scenario?

You know, I think it's always a worry when you're changing interpretation through the year. I think that's always a problem, and that's always a concern. I think they're in a way second guessing themselves, the umpires they are.

There's a very interesting Josh Barnes as the piece that went lives today online. It's in today's papers how much the controversial calls that have impacted games, and when you go back through them, it's amazing how yes, one decision doesn't cost a team because there's a whole game correct, But these these calls that that were very you know towards the end of the game in the defensive war offensive fifty, that that could have really swung the results the way. It's quite amazing.

And you look at the Grand fightal last year, you look at the.

Yeah, so you look at that in the in the dying moments, so You've got so many moments there it is there been one that stood out for you that has had you tearing your hair out.

You know, my love of Melourn football clubs well known, Matt, and it was that I just had to bring this out. It was, I mean, you don't. You don't get thirty odd points down and expect to win. So I'll preface it with that. But against Carton in round nine, the Jacob van roy and dangerous tackle and I think Steve mcbernie, the umpire's boss, came out and said that was probably milked free kick so they might have put their half a hand up and said that was kind of wrong,

Won the game.

I'm glad you've got that off your chest. You did tell me to raise that one, No you didn't, listeners, he did not. But yeah, and I'm the obboste you know who I barrick for in that sense. But I'm saying that was a that was a fifty meter penalty on Sunday without any shadow it out now he's still got to kick the goal. Yes, you're probably going to kick the goal. You're going to be close enough mcearroy and make the part correct or.

He didn't make the part.

So there's no given certainty about anything like you know, you think about, you know, scenarios like that, it doesn't always go that way. All I will say is that there is a lack of confidence. And if there is from the fans, imagine how it is for the players who have then got to work out on the field.

I agree. I think that's enough of the negative. Let's talk positive. After the break, we're going to talk Hawks and you're back here on the Herald Sun Footy podcast. I'm Andy Belaiz, I'm with Glenn McFarlan and Macha. Let's talk the most exciting team in footy right now. I know we wouldn't have said this at the start of the years. They're a happy team at Hawforlle and they really are a happy team. I love the selfie shot at the end of every game. I love the energy, the vibe.

I made a few comments a few weeks ago that it was going to be, you know, in the future, it's going to be destination Dingley because everyone's going to want to play there because of the way they're playing their footy.

It's exciting, it's a very good brand.

They've got an exceptional coach and their list what they've been able to put together. Imagine if they play finals after losing the first five games. I've got a little scenario where I reckon they can if everything goes right.

If you remember the start of the season fair March, when Will Day went down and they had a multitude of injuries and they couldn't work out who was going to play where Mitch Lewis was iffy and then was injured and they were just it was. It was devastation Dingley, it was. But now it's destination. They're they're exciting, they're fun, they're playing a brand of footy that every team.

Would like to they are and I think that's going to attract This is the powerful thing as well.

Not only is it good on the ladder. You know, they're at Waverley at the moment.

By the end of next year they'll be into this multi million dollar Dingley.

This is the end of next year.

They're going to entice some really good players there to you know, Dingley's a fair way out as we do know, but they've got this huge, unbelievable setup they're going to have there and they are on the lookout for talents. So while they've got some great talent in there at the moment, they are going to be incredibly aggressive, particularly for a defender. They're heavily into you know, Josh Battle,

What have they got? What's their run had?

This is an interesting one. Let's run through it and we'll see what you're going to give them as well. They're currently seven to seven. They're worry at the moment. Is the ninety two point seven percentage. That's a real worry. So the same amount of wins as they were last year right now ready, which is quite amazing.

So West Coast in Perth, it's a fifty to fifty I reckon, it's a tick. I'll give them that one.

Geelong at gmhbae Long the vulnerable.

They're beatable.

Fifty to fifty game. I reckon, maybe if you free Maddle and Tazzy, I'm giving them that. I saw Freematal on the weekend. Hawthorne play Tazzy really well. Collingwood at the MCG tough, yeah, but they not without a chance fifty As long as I for as long as I can remember, Hawthorn's always played well against Collingwood Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval. You give them a week, give them a win there, GWS and Canberra there's a chance, there's a chance, there's a chance Carlton the MCG is going

So they're going to be line ball.

There are a number of teams in that yep, six to ten position on the ladder, though at the moment aren't there.

There are?

And you know what makes this season so interesting is that anyone, not even within reason, any team can beat any team in a yeah, and I think we said here last week or the week before that.

I reckon there's probably three really strong winning premiership chances. I'm sticking to that, and then there's some really even sides well, and then one about.

One of your premiership chances was fifty four points down against the bottom team, you know, halfway through the third quarter. So you know, any team.

And any team you can do it. Fly two Denis did it again, didn't they? So but it is and it's a fascinating year. And I'll tell you what though, whatever they do this year Hawthorne, if they just miss out or whatever, I'm always a subscriber. And you know, some people say, don't play finals if you're not ready, that's garbage, that's crap. You play finals if you can, because you get the advantage of having that experience, and they're getting that. They got some great experience on the

Eight years in our finals Macher, I mean no, they haven't won a flag in ten years. It's just so sad.

I feel for them. But I'm sure they'll get through.

Yeah, I think they will. I think it's at least please not be another three pete. Let's never hear the word Forethorn again. But they are going to They are going to be.

He's a good coach though, he is a really good coach. He's done it the right way. He's changed his in a way, he's changed a bit of his personality. He's hard, he's still got the hard edge, but he's got a bit of fun about it as well, and you can see that they're really responding to about the players.

Well, watch this space with the Hawks finals.

We're giving him maybe maybe, Thanks Macher, Thanks Andy Chiz, that'll do us.

On today's Harold's On Footy podcast, I'm Andy BelAZ and my thanks to Glenn McFarlan for joining me today. Make sure you keep an eye out for all the coverage from the Australian Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night, then trade buzz from Moneyball on Wednesday morning, Nick mcguon's analysis Thursday lunchtime, all the game day coverage over the weekend, and then as always Robbos can't misstackle on Sunday night. I'll catch you next week.