Gaelic Football - Rules & Regulations discussion/clarification

[Milltown Row2]

Umpires are provided by Refs which is a bit too loose an arrangement for top level games.

Sean Hurson takes 4 referees from Tyrone for his umpires. Maybe a good solution to the taking the 'oul boy' for a day out argument.

Say you start out doing a bit of umpiring with Sean Hurson 10 years ago. He starts to climb the ladder and get big games and you're told you're not needed for those days.
If Sean messages you to do a Division 3 game in Strabane in March with him, you mightn't be as responsive to him.

He's had the same 4 men for as long as I can remember.

And fair play to him..

[Stall the Bailer]

So is it the best for the job, or the most loyal?
How about something completely different, a pool of umpires appointed, assessed and getting the same expenses as the referees at national level. Instead of the referees needing to get them.
I can understand the reason for this 40-50 years ago but not today.

[GTP]

The umpire made a mistake, looks like poor positioning in the replay giving him a limited view of the shot. A pool of appointed umpires who are regularly assessed would not stop this occurring. If referees feel the current inter-county set up for appointing umpires doesn't work, they need to speak up and not have administrators or worse supporters impose something on them. I'd imagine there is comfort for any ref in having people he knows and trusts at pitch side when it comes to these games. Which is why the bring your own team situation continues.
From limited experience umpiring is more difficult than it looks and again from one underage intercounty game the referee who needed a help out told me his entire team was assessed not just him. Paddy Neilan may find this was his last game of the year due to that decision (which doesn't help the team which feels aggrieved)

[Armagh18]

Genuinely a very hard call to make in real time the way the ball moves you'd think there is a deflection.

[DaleCooper]

So is it the best for the job, or the most loyal?
How about something completely different, a pool of umpires appointed, assessed and getting the same expenses as the referees at national level. Instead of the referees needing to get them.
I can understand the reason for this 40-50 years ago but not today.

Reminder £8k is splurged on the useless hawkeye PER GAME

[Armagh18]

So is it the best for the job, or the most loyal?
How about something completely different, a pool of umpires appointed, assessed and getting the same expenses as the referees at national level. Instead of the referees needing to get them.
I can understand the reason for this 40-50 years ago but not today.

Reminder £8k is splurged on the useless hawkeye PER GAME

Surely not.

[DaleCooper]

Im wrong. Its in Euro not Sterling. Lol

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/sport/gaa/266825-266825?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Inflation would be near 10k now.

[GTP]

Is Hawkeye still sponsored? Maybe they break even or make a profit. It is good for those over the post ones.

[Milltown Row2]

So is it the best for the job, or the most loyal?
How about something completely different, a pool of umpires appointed, assessed and getting the same expenses as the referees at national level. Instead of the referees needing to get them.
I can understand the reason for this 40-50 years ago but not today.

So if Hursons men make a mistake then what's best to do?

These umpires as I said travel around the country with the same ref because he trusts their decisions, they understand his style of refereeing and what he's looking for, random lads turning up at games and having to trust them is not a thing I'd be happy with

In real time it looked like a deflection, I said at the time the ref should have been cute enough to speak with umpires and had a sneaky look at the big screen, change call, all good

[Armagh18]

So is it the best for the job, or the most loyal?
How about something completely different, a pool of umpires appointed, assessed and getting the same expenses as the referees at national level. Instead of the referees needing to get them.
I can understand the reason for this 40-50 years ago but not today.

So if Hursons men make a mistake then what's best to do?

These umpires as I said travel around the country with the same ref because he trusts their decisions, they understand his style of refereeing and what he's looking for, random lads turning up at games and having to trust them is not a thing I'd be happy with

In real time it looked like a deflection, I said at the time the ref should have been cute enough to speak with umpires and had a sneaky look at the big screen, change call, all good

Yeah he should have, but that doesn't solve the problem for the other 99% of grounds.

It definitely looked like a deflection in real time

[DaleCooper]

Yeah I can see how it could get called the way it was & agree with MR2s solution.

Common sense and a wee breather. God knows players need one odd time.now too.

[Stall the Bailer]

So is it the best for the job, or the most loyal?
How about something completely different, a pool of umpires appointed, assessed and getting the same expenses as the referees at national level. Instead of the referees needing to get them.
I can understand the reason for this 40-50 years ago but not today.

So if Hursons men make a mistake then what's best to do?

These umpires as I said travel around the country with the same ref because he trusts their decisions, they understand his style of refereeing and what he's looking for, random lads turning up at games and having to trust them is not a thing I'd be happy with

In real time it looked like a deflection, I said at the time the ref should have been cute enough to speak with umpires and had a sneaky look at the big screen, change call, all good

Every person on the pitch will make a mistake at some point. You want those who will make the least and with most talent, be it a player or official on the pitch. How can we limit mistakes and address them?
If referees have a loyalty (and a bias) to their umpires are they the best to call them out on it.
Hurson's umpires are current club refs and I can't think of a mistake from them. They know the rules and are fit.
Not all umpires at county level are like this though, some are just family members. Maybe they are good umpires, but maybe there are better out there.

Bad positioning is one mistake that is easy to prevent.
 
On the trust part, half the officials already are from around the country. Ref, 2 linesmen and the 4th official
They already handle that.

We prevent over 50s from being a ref at county level. Why not similar restrictions on umpires to have best? They probably need the best eye sight of anyone on the pitch, how about starting there.

[Milltown Row2]

Bad eyesight and being unfit isn't an age thing lol.. Plenty of 'good' ref's have problems with their calls every night according to the experts around the ground, there are also plenty of fit over 50's ( ) that could continue to ref at intercounty level, but that is not the reason why the cut off is at 50, do you know the reason for that?

Look according to many within county boards and Croke Park level, funding of such things would not be on high on their wish list, getting bogged down on one call that wasn't as obvious from watching on the telly to pitch side is a bit much..

I'm trusting my umpires over the linesmen and 4th officials, at this level your linesmen are hoping ya make a f**k up so they are in next week   

[armaghniac]

When was this
https://x.com/PremierviewPod/status/2071939743936336004

[DaleCooper]

https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/0630/1581151-clare-assault/