Tigers may challenge umpire abuse fine (Age)

[one-eyed]

Tigers may challenge umpire abuse fine
Caroline Wilson
The Age
June 20, 2012


RICHMOND is looking at challenging the $5000 fine imposed on the club after the AFL found one of its staff had abused a field umpire at the end of the Tigers-Fremantle round 11 clash at the MCG.

The Age understands that long-time club trainer Sam Pupillo remains adamant he did not direct a cheating accusation towards the game's field umpires after the club's 12-point defeat.

Pupillo, a virtual volunteer with the club, has stood by his version of events despite being warned by the club he could lose his job should it appeal on his behalf and be proved wrong.

He claims he directed his comments at Fremantle personnel - calling them cheats - as they were leaving the ground and that the umpires were 30 metres away.

It is the second time this season the club has been penalised by the AFL for umpire abuse.

On the first occasion, coach Damien Hardwick swore at an emergency umpire towards the end of the third quarter of last month's Dreamtime Game.

Hardwick was originally fined $5000 also, but after pleading his case to the AFL, football boss Adrian Anderson suspended the fine for a three-year period.

The Tigers coach was forced to make a formal apology to the umpires. He will umpire a game of football as part of his sanction later this season.

The Pupillo incident three weeks later saw Richmond eight days ago issued with a ''please explain''.

The club responded by explaining Pupillo's version of events. While the trainer remains adamant he did not abuse umpires, the AFL chose to believe its own official who heard the comment and remains equally adamant it was aimed not at Fremantle staff or players but at him.

Anderson, who said the league had taken into account that the previous incident was Hardwick's first offence, said the Tigers were within their rights to appeal the fine but confirmed the club risked a bigger fine should the abuse charge stand.

The Tigers will decide before Friday whether or not to appeal on behalf of their trainer but should the fine stand the club will pay it on his behalf.

After the Hardwick incident Anderson said: ''Regulations such as these exist because of the need for the AFL competition to set a positive example on conduct towards umpires.''

The AFL match review panel on Monday found that Richmond forward Shane Edwards had no case to answer following suggestions he had made contact with umpire Matt Stevic's chest during the Greater Western Sydney game at Skoda Stadium. Stevic had no recollection of the incident.

Negligent contact with an umpire draws a fine of $1200, with reckless contact incurring a $2600 fine.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-may-challenge-umpire-abuse-fine-20120619-20m57.html#ixzz1yG3yrIjx

[pmac21]

Geez, just move on.....

[Owl]

nah there is something going on with the umpires imo, they really have a hardon for us atm.  These games they have gone out of their way to screw us over, everyone can see it, someone has upset them and they are stuffing with us whenever they can.

[Eat_em_Alive]

Don't know why he would refer to either as cheats?


If he had said that the umpire had made deliberate calls during the game to influence the game and gift freo by giving them frees in their fwd half resulting in goals  and hinder us by giving us frees in the back half once we had advanced 50m from that' said penalty area forcing us to give freo a chance to put pressure on thru their zone- then I would agree with that

 

nah there is something going on with the umpires imo, they really have a hardon for us atm.  These games they have gone out of their way to screw us over, everyone can see it, someone has upset them and they are stuffing with us whenever they can.

Agree

[Phil Mrakov]

This will only make them act harder against us.

[MintOnLamb]

Don't know why he would refer to either as cheats?


If he had said that the umpire had made deliberate calls during the game to influence the game and gift freo by giving them frees in their fwd half resulting in goals  and hinder us by giving us frees in the back half once we had advanced 50m from that' said penalty area forcing us to give freo a chance to put pressure on thru their zone- then I would agree with that

 

nah there is something going on with the umpires imo, they really have a hardon for us atm.  These games they have gone out of their way to screw us over, everyone can see it, someone has upset them and they are stuffing with us whenever they can.

Agree

I agree 100% Some of the frees were atrocious, The one against Vickery when he nearly had his head taken off and got penalised for holding the ball. I think it was Umpire No 32. FF


Edit: edited quote

[Mr Magic]

If the trainer honestly didn't say it towards the umps we should definitely appeal.
I didn't contribute to the TFTF to have those maggots take it off the club if they're wrong.

[rogerd3]

we all know they are CHEATS.

the whole system is corrupt
with the Fuhrer running the
show.

i say lets go after the crooks...

[Penelope]

It seems like this official may have a guilty conscience

[Eat_em_Alive]

Tigers may challenge umpire abuse fine
Caroline Wilson
The Age
June 20, 2012

Pupillo, a virtual volunteer with the club, has stood by his version of events despite being warned by the club he could lose his job should it appeal on his behalf and be proved wrong.
He claims he directed his comments at Fremantle personnel - calling them cheats - as they were leaving the ground and that the umpires were 30 metres away.

The club responded by explaining Pupillo's version of events. While the trainer remains adamant he did not abuse umpires, the AFL chose to believe its own official who heard the comment and remains equally adamant it was aimed not at Fremantle staff or players but at him.

Anderson, who said the league had taken into account that the previous incident was Hardwick's first offence, said the Tigers were within their rights to appeal the fine but confirmed the club risked a bigger fine should the abuse charge stand.

After the Hardwick incident Anderson said: ''Regulations such as these exist because of the need for the AFL competition to set a positive example on conduct towards umpires.''
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-may-challenge-umpire-abuse-fine-20120619-20m57.html#ixzz1yG3yrIjx

So from what I can gather, its one persons word against another. But because THEY are the AFL, it does not matter and they will determine an outcome that suits their view. Especially a view where one man has tarnished the reputation of the AFL umpires by Allegedly referring to them as cheats.

Also convenient of Adrian Anderson to point out that there was a previous incident, one which has nothing to do with this matter but he brought it up anyway as if to use it as some type of weight in this case.

The AFL has become a joke,  they should be ashamed of themselves.
Every club has a right to question the integrity of the afl and its umpires, just as every voting member of the public has a right to question the integrity of our current government.

[Ox]

what a gang of standover pricks

[Judge Roughneck]

Lol at calling freo cheats

[bojangles17]

Hmm not sure how solid a case he has, reminds of when a fella from my amo side was up on a striking charge, the tribunal chairman said so you hit a man lying on the ground to which the accused said, NO, he was getting up

[Coach]

Hmm not sure how solid a case he has, reminds of when a fella from my amo side was up on a striking charge, the tribunal chairman said so you hit a man lying on the ground to which the accused said, NO, he was getting up

classic

Have a story from a fair few years back now. Played footy with a bloke (ripper bloke) that got an interesting suspension. Laid a hard tackle on some lad and hurt him. In comes this wanker from the other side to have a bit of a crack. Calls him a dirty (instert WP's fave word) and gives him the old "hit me right here you dirty prick! go on, I dare ya", so our bloke stuffen flaws the bloke and almost knocks him out  Obviously our man has been reported for it, but the umpire has mixed up the jumper numbers in his report. In his report it says our player had struck the bloke who he originally tackled.

Makes it interesting at the tribunal when the bloke that got hit wasn't even there. The lad that was tackled was required to be there because it was his number in the report  Come the tribunal, they ask our guy if he hit the player from the other club to which he replies "No, I didn't hit him it was another fella"...Tribunal ask the other guy if this is true and he nods, so they say "well you can pee off then". They tell our man that since he admitted to punching someone they would have to give him a week even if it wasn't the guy that was at the tribunal.

[bojangles17]

Lol, there are some crazies out there, after the chairman deduced our bloke was a stark raving lunatic(great clubman) ....he was deregistered...effectively for life, as ea annual application was rejected me thinks our friendly trainer is cut from same mould