What a surprise. Saints last for free kicks.

[SaintPav]

Disgusting

[White Winmar]

Lost the free kick count. Again. 24-19 this time, which is about average for us. NM still second on the free kick ladder and they did better than their average. Predictable. The treatment of Bruce and Roo was as disgusting as usual. Time to seek clarification from the untouchables as to how Bruce in particular can win a free, or just get legitimate marks paid.

[mullet]

Lost the free kick count. Again. 24-19 this time, which is about average for us. NM still second on the free kick ladder and they did better than their average. Predictable. The treatment of Bruce and Roo was as disgusting as usual. Time to seek clarification from the untouchables as to how Bruce in particular can win a free, or just get legitimate marks paid.

I'm with you WW what on earth has Bruce Done. This isnt a one off, this has been happening all season. And to top it off, Ben Brown got 4 frees and Waite 2. Our forwards got none.

[jonesy]

Waite tripping himself over someone going for the ball and being given a free was the darkest moment for the game since essendope, if not of all time

[SemperFidelis]

I don't usually take my young kids to night games (they'd lost it by the last quarter) and I try bloody hard not to scream at the umps because they really can't handle it but I absolutely lost it tonight as did everyone in the Saints section.

It was comical how many soft frees they got at critical moments in the first half and how Bruce and Roo and others got nothing unless it was absolutely blatant. What p~d me off most was that they were obviously giving soft kicks to us towards the end. The count means nothing. It's the critical ones early that cruelled us.

And yes, we didn't kick straight either.

[Jacks Back]

Maybe it's time that the coaches should be able to criticize these f****** cheats like they do in soccer and rugby league.

[ctqs]

It's a pity we can't email umpires directly.

[st.byron]

The West Coast free kick phenomena dates back a decade.
Similarly we have been down near the bottom of the free kick ladder for a decade - "voices in the sky"?

So not a one-off.
An institutionalised endorsed bias.

In the last ten years West Coast Eagles :

First or second in 'Free Kicks For" every year except one when they were fourth.
Last or second last in "Free Kicks Against" every year bar one. The least free kicks against an astonishing six times in ten years. What are the odds in an 18 team competition?

And those stats are for all games. Imagine how it looks if you only take their home games into account.

This from the Hun last year :

"The Eagles have won a staggering 349 more free kicks than they have conceded in the past five years — a differential three times bigger than their nearest rival.

But it’s at Subiaco, at the aptly nicknamed “House of Pain”, where West Coast gets the biggest advantage from whistleblowers.

Since the start of 2011, the Eagles have lost the free kick count in only four of 46 matches on home soil against interstate sides — a success rate of 91 per cent.

Incredibly, West Coast is also one of only two clubs to win more free kicks than it loses on the road, where it boasts a +63 free kick differential."

The umpires boss at the time, Wayne Campbell when asked about it said,

“The answer is, I don’t know. There’s just got to be a combination of things. Perhaps it’s the style of play, the crowd, winning games or that home sides win more than they lose. They must be disciplined in either not giving away free kicks or getting free kicks because it happens away from home as well.”


That's it Wayne. They're disciplined. Nothing to do with the umpires being intimidated by the crowd.

No way there's a massive issue with the bias towards WCE at home. Move along. Nothing to see. Jaysus.....look at these stats.


Free kick differential stats for 2011 - 2015 :

West Coast Eagles +349

Carlton +112

Port Adelaide +107

North Melbourne +76

Adelaide Crows +48

Richmond +37

Collingwood +17

Western Bulldogs-8

Geelong Cats -23

GWS Giants -25

Sydney Swans -26

Hawthorn-35

Fremantle-56

Essendon-64

Melbourne -83

Gold Coast Suns -106

St Kilda -137

Brisbane Lions -183

[loris]

On the AFL.com site there is an article where Richo is saying Saints will be seeking clarification on the interpretation of why Hickey was penalised when Waite got the free & subsequent goal. Said it was at a an important stage of game.
He also mentions one free that Bruce should have been paid, Richo says umpire clearly made a mistake. Also he said there was another free against Bruce that was dubious.
So Richo is speaking out. No doubt he will be in trouble & have to cough up some money now!!

[noddy04]

Each time Waite got a free kick it was from his old team mate Jordan Bannister

[CURLY]

Lost the free kick count. Again. 24-19 this time, which is about average for us. NM still second on the free kick ladder and they did better than their average. Predictable. The treatment of Bruce and Roo was as disgusting as usual. Time to seek clarification from the untouchables as to how Bruce in particular can win a free, or just get legitimate marks paid.

Doesn't tell the true story of the cheating last night. We got paid two frees when Hickey and Weller both took marks so the umpire paying a free does nothing. Then when Bruce tackled Thomson 30 out from goal they payed on to Robbo 30 seconds later 60 out. Just clear cheating and bias. When North players like Cunnington and Ziebel try to barge through and get tackled placing the ball on the ground is a free kick. Don't even start on the three below the knee frees all against us.

[stevie]

Waite tripping himself over someone going for the ball and being given a free was the darkest moment for the game since essendope, if not of all time

Yep, this was when I switched off the computer. The coaches who have brains need to get together and tell the rules committee whoever makes up this s*** to get rid of that stupid rule and also fix the deliberate OOB farce once and well.