The thing I have enjoyed most about Roly's coaching of Fremantle has been his no excuses approach.
Fremantle players rarely stand and argue with the ump. They play to the whistle and continue playing their role. In the years prior to Roly I would see Freo have a game's momentum totally changed by a few poor umpiring decisions. You could see the players heads drop and shoulders droop.
I love the fact Freo have been playing so consistently well despite the umpiring.
But I am still concerned by startling statistics that are extremely hard to explain. Especially the relationship of the negative umpiring to Fremantle's losses. As previously posted, in the last 2 years, Freo have won 20 out of 20 games where none of Stevic, Dalgleish and/or Rosebury have umpired, yet they have been there for the 12 losses (excluding PA resting loss).
Most people prefer to dismiss the data, otherwise they may need to confront the possibility that not all is just and that makes people uncomfortable. Those same people may dismiss why Freo had to play Geelong at Kardinia in 2013 and whether or not Fremantle won that game does not make that decision by the AFL any more just.
I have no influence on the umpires, but I can provide information to encourage a few supporters to question the umpiring further and hopefully those supporters may be loudest when the umpires choose to unfairly blow that whistle on Friday night ... just like those loud Freo supporters at Kardinia in 2013.
For many reasons, coaches and players can't touch the subject, but fans can and I struggle to understand how by ignoring (dismissing) negative umpiring against Freo, I am a better supporter of the club.
