Richmond v Sydney: 'Stay out of the way': Jonathan Brown berates umpire Ray Chamberlain

James Pavey

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Richmond v Sydney: 'Stay out of the way': Jonathan Brown berates umpire Ray Chamberlain image

Brisbane legend Jonathan Brown has appealed to umpire Ray Chamberlain to stop getting too involved in games.

Chamberlain played a significant role in Thursday night's round 15 clash between Richmond and Sydney, with the Tigers running out to a 26-point win at Etihad Stadium.

In a match punctuated by Reece Conca's shocking ankle break, Nick Vlastuin's elbow to Luke Parker's face, and Jack Riewoldt's masterclass, some of the biggest concerns were left to the highly-publicised battle - or lack thereof - between Sydney forward Lance Franklin and Richmond backman Alex Rance, which many believed was nullified by Chamberlain.

Chamberlain was at the centre of two contentious calls between Franklin and Rance, with both calls going against the Tigers defender.

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The first saw Rance bump into Franklin in a marking contest, with the Swans forward already off-balance.

The second, just prior to three-quarter time, saw Rance smother Franklin's shot, but was adjudged to have encroached on the mark. As a result, Rance copped a 50-metre penalty.


"Rance did a pretty good job on Franklin, who did kick four goals," Brown said on Fox Footy after the game.

"Buddy gets a free kick (from the bump), I'm still not sure what for, I still can't work that out.

"That's one of the worst free-kicks you'll ever see get paid."

Brown pointed the finger at 'Razor' Chamberlain, saying his theatrics with the whistle are becoming growing pains for spectators.

"Ray, I'm sure, has been reading the papers, looking forward to this heavyweight clash (between Franklin and Rance) throughout the week," Brown said.

"It's the clash of the titans, but if I'm going to watch the heavyweight fight, I'm not going to watch to watch the referee.

"I'm going to watch the two big heavyweights go at it. 

"Ray, stay out of the way. Just let them play the game.

"They were two of the worst free kicks you'll ever see."

Fellow panellists Garry Lyon and Paul Roos sympathised with Brown, both agreeing the 50-metre penalty was overkill.

"Who's doing the votes tonight... I think (Chamberlain) will get a vote," Roos joked.

The AFL reverted back to three umpires this week, having trialled four across the past fortnight. A total of 43 free kicks were awarded in the Richmond-Sydney game.

However, Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said the umpires should stop going out of their way to search for free kicks.

"Just let the players play," Hardwick told reporters.

"I'm a big advocate for the four umpires, I just don't think we've got the positioning right of those four umpires.

"If free kicks are there, let's pay them. But let's not be inventing free kicks that aren't there."

The panel and Hardwick weren't alone in their criticism, with social media users weighing into Chamberlain's influence on the game.



 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

James Pavey

James Pavey Photo