Carey clips AFL umpires after big weekend

While umpires coach Hayden Kennedy has defended his charges, commentator Wayne Carey says it was a bad weekend.

Wayne Carey is the latest AFL commentator to give the umpires the thumbs down after a weekend punctuated by controversial incidents.

While umpires coach Hayden Kennedy strongly defended his charges on Monday, Carey was scathing in the wake of round two.

"The last couple of years has been sensational. The umpires generally do a really good job," Carey said on Seven Network's Talking Footy.

"This has been the worst weekend I can remember for a very, very long time.

"So that's a good thing. Lets hope it's a one-off."

It started with the free kick awarded to Richmond onballer Shaun Grigg at a crucial moment in the last quarter of Thursday night's win over Collingwood.

Grigg exploited the new rules around ruck duels to draw a free kick against Brayden Maynard, whose back was to the ball and Kennedy backed the umpire's call.

Kennedy also supported a controversial rushed behind paid against Sydney's Callum Mills on Friday night against the Western Bulldogs.

"We believe it's a correct free kick," Kennedy told the AFL website.

"We don't think he's under enough physical pressure to be able to rush the ball.

"The umpires will work on fact rather than perceived pressure."

Sydney coach John Longmire said on Monday he was waiting for feedback from umpires boss Peter Schwab because of the Swans' poor free kick tally in the opening two rounds.

St Kilda also had a lopsided 23-8 free kick count against them in the Perth loss to West Coast.

Saints coach Alan Richardson did not blame the frees count for their loss.

"The free kick count to us is irrelevant - it pricks my ears up over the weekend as the umpires coach, because I know whenever there's a difference in the free kick count, usually there's a media-driven conversation," Kennedy said.

Kennedy conceded the free paid to Hawthorn's Paul Puopolo for in the back was "really interesting".

Commentator Paul Roos was scathing at the time, saying it as as bad a decision as was possible.

Adelaide's David Mackay wrapped up Puopolo in a tackle, but was penalised because he ended up lying on Puoplo's back.

"What happens is Mackay almost lays in his back and it's a decision that has to be made by the umpire, as to whether that's a conscious decision by the tackler," Kennedy said.

"I can actually understand that decision."


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Source: AAP



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