AFLW Round 5: Carlton vs Adelaide at Norwood

[crashlander]

Obviously you're allowed to grab a player without the ball in Adelaide. Allowed them a goal. Gee umpires are useless.

I've found the umpiring all season very consistent, and simply not very good. We probably had more frees and we definitely had more tackles, but we rarely were rewarded for the hard work.

[1] Holding the ball, or Incorrect Disposal appears to be dead in AFLW. The number of times the TV picked up crow throws was amazing. Yet the only one paid was against us, when the ball was never under our player's control. She never had possession, so incorrect disposal was really insulting.

[2] Holding the man, er, woman, also appears to be dead. There was 1 free for this paid on the night. Players get swung around in a tackle when the ball is 5 m away and no free is given. That was very frustrating as our players were put out of the contest when the ball was just not in their possession.

[3] In the back: paid 6 times in the first quarter (5 against us) in the first game and not paid since. Diving on players' backs appears a regular occurrence.

[4] Kicking in Danger: haven't seen one yet, even though there should be 3 or 4 paid each week. Particularly the case when Bree Moody or Alison Downie bend down to get the ball and the opposing ruck kicks it away.

I know I am not a disinterested observer, I see frees for us because I am looking for them. But the frees that get paid are usually very rare, while frees against us appear much softer. The umpires have been consistent, I will give them that. Maybe they are giving the woman with the ball the benefit of the doubt? But it has not helped us as we appear to be doing more of the tackling.

There was a case tonight in the last quarter when one of our girls was running straight for the ball. It went over her head (typical). The Adelaide player met her face on and very high. It was quite a collision, but the large girl (the Adelaide one) ended up on top because she had jumped off the ground.
If there were to be a free, the only possible choice could have been too high: it was definitely head high. In fact, it may well be looked at in terms of a report. (I wouldn't suspend the Adelaide girl. It was a contest.)
However, the Adelaide girl got a free kick. Considering the timing of the game, it was a critical decision. There was simply no way it could have been an Adelaide free kick.
If that umpire officiates next week, it will be a travesty. However, we appear to be playing a style of football that is not helped by the interpretations. In fact, we appear to be playing for a umpiring style that has not existed all season, one much more like those of the men.