Can someone please tell me why AFL football umpires........?

Question

...........run around waving their arms, like a young albatross, learning to fly, & continually yelling "PLAY ON, PLAY ON".?

Don't the players understand the rules? Do they have to wait for the umpire to tell them what to do. I never see this in any other sport.

Answer 1

Because the point at which 'play on' is called is critical to the game.  For example, if a player takes a mark, they usually play on to keep their team moving.  As soon as the player 'plays on', others are allowed to tackle him.  If another player tackles before then, they give away a fifty metre penalty.

If you actually took time to understand the rules before mouthing off you'd understand how daft the question sounds.

But if you understood the culture of Aussie Rules, you'd understand that umpires are only put out on the ground to be hated by everyone.  They've put more of them on the ground in recent years so each section of the crowd can have an umpire to abuse.  You're not gonna offend anyone by abusing umpires in the AFL section matey!

Dogsbody might have got it right they could be called canaries these days but in my playing days they were known as 'white maggots'.  You could feel the love.

Answer 2

I think it's because the umpires themselves don't know the rules-------------so just yell out play on.

Answer 3

Thats their job...

Its just so the players can see clearly that they shouldnt stop play. Otherwise if they are unclear players could stop and get tackled. I guess. Its mostly like after something happens.

Answer 4

The AFL Umpires are highly professional and they are all part of the spectacle of the game.  The certain actions they use with their arms and stuff well the players understand what this means.  AFL umpires are highly fit too and have to be good at running and endurance too.  The players might be in a situation where they are not sure whether they have given away a free kick and in a split second need signals from the umpire like play on as the umpire has seen no infringement.  No they don't have to wait for the umpire to tell them what to do.  Usually the umpire's whistle will stop play and the decision has been made for a free kick because of holding the ball or running too far without bouncing the ball or whatever or they might try to "milk" a free kick but the ump. doesn't buy it and may indicate play on play on with his arms.  Obviously you haven't watched too many games of AFL  and there are many intricacies in the rules which you can truly understand by experience.

Answer 5

Well said Forky!!!  hehehe

Answer 6

every section of the community has to have the village idiot umpires are the afl's and your community has YOU

Answer 7

Take Forky's advice you Northern $%&#.

Answer 8

YAWN! ,move on dude-the p!$$ take section is opening soon and you can be its first member

Answer 9

I think it is because that's how all the umpires run. It's their style, y'know, skipping along with both arms out at their side, waving them up & down.

Answer 10

That's what they're meant to do.

They do know the rules.

Sometimes, a tough situation occurs, and neither player knows whether they've giving away a free kick or not and it's hard to spot. That's what  the umpires to spot a free kick or to yell play on in times of doubt.

Answer 11

You should have said a canary, or a robin. The colours the umpires wear now make them look more like canaries & robins than albatross'.

But the umpires act like that because they want to be the centre of attention. Didn't you hear Sammy say on the Footy Show that they now carry on like a band of troupadors?