Umpires Boo
Diving For Free Kicks
With seconds to go West Coast lead Sydney by five points and the ball is being hotly contested 40m from Sydney's goal. Jude Bolton grabs the ball and is immediately tackled. He senses the tackle and drops his knees, hunches his head into his neck and turns BACK INTO THE TACKLER.
Drop knees, pitch forward - works every time.
It's "holding the ball" in everyone's opinion except that of the umpire.
"Too high" he calls, and another game is decided by an umpire. That was the season for the
Eagles on the strength of one crappy decision.
Knee dropping is an artform with some players although the true champions like Michael Voss
and Chris Judd (for instance) never stoop to it.
It makes me puke watching big strong blokes like Michael O'Loughlin and Adam Goodes taking a
dive. O'Loughlin launched himself forward at Subi this year when he expected a tackle from
behind but he was well clear of any player. He appeared to be undismayed by the ensuing jeers
of the crowd nearby. Paul Chapman does the knee drop trick to perfection.
My gripe is not that players stage frees but that the umpires are gullible enough to fall for
their playacting.
