Umpire Leigh Fisher

[Sainternist]

How does this guy get to umpire St.Kilda games without scrutiny? Does the AFL not care about a little thing they call a conflict of interest?

He was a St.Kilda player between the years of 2003-2010 and played 55 senior games. That is a decent amount of time to be playing with one club. Perhaps long enough to cloud one’s judgement when having to adjudicate a game of football and one of the teams is that club.

I’ve noticed every time he umpires a St.Kilda he makes a handful of very questionable calls, but when umpiring non-St.Kilda he seems far more switched on. Or maybe this is all my St.Kilda bias.

It’s fair to say, he looked bush league standard yesterday. If we get him for a game that is important, I, for one, will be quite nervous beforehand.

[IluvHarvey]

I don’t have an issue with him to be honest. I think he umpires our games no differently than any others.
But, I agree to an extent. The AFL should keep him away from saints games. Should be the same for any ex players to avoid unnecessary scrutiny.

[saynta]

Roos got 5 freekicks in the 1st quarter before we got one. In the end frees were about even with the roos only getting one more.

I didn't have a problem with his umpiring last evening.

[perfectionist]

Roos got 5 freekicks in the 1st quarter before we got one. In the end frees were about even with the roos only getting one more.

I didn't have a problem with his umpiring last evening.

Yep, there were a few howlers, but for both teams. If anything, Leigh let's it go more than most umpires - I don't have an issue with that unless he plucks one.

Was that the first game where both goal umpires were women?

[maverick]

He should never umpire our games, he never pays us 50/50 frees, he is trying too hard to be impartial and it goes against us.
He did not pay us a free kick that I saw, one time an out of zone umpire had to overrule him for a free kick to us

[saintbob]

In a word NO

[WellardSaint]

Roos got 5 freekicks in the 1st quarter before we got one. In the end frees were about even with the roos only getting one more.

I didn't have a problem with his umpiring last evening.

Yep, there were a few howlers, but for both teams. If anything, Leigh let's it go more than most umpires - I don't have an issue with that unless he plucks one.

Was that the first game where both goal umpires were women?

Fisher must be wary of being accused of bias, so he always goes extra hard on us.
It's not me being a Curly fanboy, I decided this on my own from watching every game of ours.

[older saint]

Absolutely he is either a poor umpire or in order of not being accused of favoring his former team he goes the other way.
Make it easy for everyone and keep him from StkIlda games - it as not an admission of an issue rather avoiding a potential issue. If he is good enough to do finals then so be it and either he or we have to suck it up as he earned the right but every time i see him walk out i cringe.

Anyone else notice there was only 3 umpires on Sunday - one got injured in warm up and no emergency umpire any more.

[Bernard Shakey]

Anyone else notice there was only 3 umpires on Sunday - one got injured in warm up and no emergency umpire any more.

Yep, must have been the good one who got injured.

[Ghost Like]

Judges recuse themselves whenever there's a hint of a connection between them and the defendant or victim. It should not be hard or a big deal, a safety net for fairness and transparecy. Albeit two ideals the AFL is loath to embrace at times.

[saynta]

Judges recuse themselves whenever there's a hint of a connection between them and the defendant or victim. It should not be hard or a big deal, a safety net for fairness and transparecy. Albeit two ideals the AFL is loath to embrace at times.

This.

[Toy Saint]

Leigh Fisher is an outstanding umpire, his interoperation of the rules demonstrates an outstanding feel for the game.

Regardless I prefer he doesn't umpire Saints games, as I suspect he may subconsciously try to be objective.

This raises an interesting question, if Leigh Fisher is the best umpire should he get the Grand Final if St Kilda is playing?

[WellardSaint]

Leigh Fisher is an outstanding umpire, his interoperation of the rules demonstrates an outstanding feel for the game.

Regardless I prefer he doesn't umpire Saints games, as I suspect he may subconsciously try to be objective.

This raises an interesting question, if Leigh Fisher is the best umpire should he get the Grand Final if St Kilda is playing?

If he umpires our GF, we'll get no frees from him

[Sainternist]

Leigh Fisher is an outstanding umpire, his interoperation of the rules demonstrates an outstanding feel for the game.

Regardless I prefer he doesn't umpire Saints games, as I suspect he may subconsciously try to be objective.

This raises an interesting question, if Leigh Fisher is the best umpire should he get the Grand Final if St Kilda is playing?

I agree with you 100%

Your last point is a fascinating hypothetical. I honestly hope it never comes down to that scenario, but it would be typical St.Kilda luck for that to happen and we end up getting the wrong end of the pineapple haha

[perfectionist]

If he umpires our GF, we'll get no frees from him

I don't think that there is much chance of that. He has umpired 204 games and had just one final. That's almost* the worst ratio in history (except for those who never got a final - like Matthew Head). I think Leigh's been robbed. * Umpire Chris Kamolins umpired 207 games for one final. Leigh Fisher will pass that dubious record in 4 games.

[The_Dud]

Regardless I prefer he doesn't umpire Saints games, as I suspect he may subconsciously try to be objective.

Uh, isn't the whole point we want umpires to be objective and not biased??

I love some logic that goes on around here:

Umpire/commentator/official "doesn't like" the Saints = Is bias against us
Umpire/commentator/official likes/supports/used to play for the Sainst = is bias against us

There's just no winning!

Also, I agree Fisher shouldn't umpire Saints game, the potential for conflict of interest is way too high, just easier to get someone else and avoid any potential issues.

[MCG-Unit]

Roos got 5 freekicks in the 1st quarter before we got one. In the end frees were about even with the roos only getting one more.

I didn't have a problem with his umpiring last evening.

Yep, there were a few howlers, but for both teams. If anything, Leigh let's it go more than most umpires - I don't have an issue with that unless he plucks one.

Was that the first game where both goal umpires were women?

I think in the womens' rounds there may have been 2 female goal umpires

I don't have any hassles with Fisher's umpiring

[D.B.Cooper]

Other than Leigh Fisher, I couldn't recognize one umpire by sight unless Harry Bietzel, Bill Dellar & Chamberlain are still umpiring.

I admit I find it quite hilarious reading on this site, that (insert umpire name) hates us and is biased against us, etc...
I notice bad decisions, but individual umpires???

I remember there was a poster here who had a fixation with umpire Foote and stated (which was proven fabricated) he had given 9 frees against us and none to us in a match.

If Fisher was a high standard umpire, he'd be getting finals matches, and he doesn't.
Maybe it is his bouncing if the ball more than his decision making holding him back.

[Otiman]

Everyone loves a good bit of confirmation bias. The more identifiable the umpire the more that's likely. Leigh Fisher gets it, Eleni Glouftsis gets it, Ray Chamberlain gets it. There must be something with Foote and Stevic though as I have no idea their numbers or what they look like.

An true umpire hater could spend some time and look at win-loss ratios with each umpire.

[Templar]

Right now I would rather have Glouftsis umpire a Saints game over Fisher, Chamberlain or Whetton.

(Fisher a very good umpire in non-Saints games)

[Sainter_Dad]

Fisher should never umpire St Kilda

Not for a bias reason - but an Optics

There are plenty of Umpires - surely it is not that hard to schedule games so he never umpires St Kilda

Same as commentators should never commentate a game for the team they had an involvement with

The AFL is one of the highest profile businesses in Australia - but yet we operate on a rag tag set of guidelines

As someone else posted - "Your Honour - as I discussed with you at the golf course ........" It would never fly

FFS - a banker cannot access any relatives account, an auditor cannot audit a company that they (or their relatives) have ties to ..... LEIGH FISHER SHOULD NEVER EVER (get back together) UMPIRE A ST KILDA GAME.