AFL Umpires – The numbers up! | Thebigtip

The role of the sporting official is a long and thankless task.  Whether you a football referee, AFL or netball umpire it doesn’t matter, the premise is the same.  The preparation you go through week in, week out to perform at your best, physically and mentally you have to be at your best every week.

When all is said and done, how do you know if you have performed well, you don't get cheered off the ground, or named in the best players.  You find yourself walking off the ground with a fellow official, or alone into a small change room, get changed and head home.  No one goes to the game to see you perform; you have no membership base or supporter groups.  If you perform well, this means that you should go unnoticed, have no bearing on the overall result, and don't get personally involved with participants.  Without you the sport could not take place, and through that you are rewarded for your thankless role.

The great Italian referee Pierluigi Collina summed it up best through his way of thinking, people are not there to watch you perform, but to see their team.  You are merely a bystander with a whistle, only having an effect when necessary.

Too many times these days AFL umpires are making the game about themselves.  With television networks, radio stations, and internet sites covering every possible angle many these days are forging a niche to gain publicity.  Umpires are now doing radio interviews, gaining personal involvement from the sport, and even at times taking the focus off the players.

Last time I checked, supporters don't care about umpires, sure we need them but from when they walk onto the ground and hold the ball aloft until they walk off- the less we notice them the better.  This may sound harsh but realistically the only time we notice them is if they make mistakes, or a controversial decision.  If umpires have that invisibility about them they have performed to their peak, and the crowd have enjoyed the reason for walking through the gates; the players.

Since the AFL advocated for umpires to have numbers on their backs, the gremlin on the personality has reared its ugly head.  Before this when I went to a game I would only know who was umpiring if it was announced on the PA system, or read the footy record.  As soon as the numbers came about all football followers know what umpires they either respect of flat out loathe.  I admit when I saw '32' running around it wasn't Mark Riccutto or Gary Hocking it was Darren Goldspink.  I had a hatred for Goldspink and giving me an extra way to realise he was near the play gave me more incentive for the hatred.

Pre numbers I may have noticed him being announced before the game, but I am there to watch the players of my team and the opposition, not the umpires.  The AFL will say that they need to watch and rate the umpires, and the numbers also help scouting umpires in lower levels.

Two incidents this year have happened to Geelong, now whether they are correct or not is irrelevant.  We all know that is was Matt Stevic who made the decision against Cam Mooney in the dying stages of the match.  Stevic is easily identifiable because of his umpire number, but who was the goal umpire who adjudged Shannon Brynes to be over the line when he kicked the goal against Collingwood.  I have no idea, and I’m sure most fans don't either.  This decision ended in Steve Quatermain calling for the goal umpire never to officiate again. (Quartermain later apologised). The only goal umpire I can recognise is Chelsea Roffey and that’s for the obvious reason of being the only female.

I am not alone out there for singling out umpires, 'Razor' Ray Chamberlain would possibly be more noticeable than most other officials because of his jockey like features, but putting a number to the name, only makes him stand out more, and public perception out their says he loves the spotlight.  Umpires now are paying free kicks with panache, big sweeping motions for holding the ball; building up the crowd then paying the decision.  This does not belong on the football field, if you want more of this watch neighbours, or go to the Theatre.

Umpires are now miked up and have to be very careful of what they say to players.  Years ago greats like Glen James might have the occasional word to a player, but to publically berate an elite football like Stuart Winn did is totally unacceptable.  Telling young Richmond player Daniel Connors that he was "You're batting way out of your league" while tangling with Andrew McQualter was not only unnecessary but totally unacceptable.  .Personal opinions and beliefs should be left at the door, you are there to perform a job, as soon as you personalise issues on the sporting field as an official you quickly lose the much needed respect of the players.

The umpires have a very hard task, and with Kevin Bartlett and his committee seemingly changing the rules every year it simply gets harder.  The majority of umpires go unnoticed, which is a credit to them.  But like so many things the minority ruins it for the majority, and I believe the AFL have turned the officiating umpires into personalities with their numbers, and the sooner this goes, the less we will notice the men in white, green, red or whatever colour the AFL have them wearing.