If you don't mind, umpire

Nick Riewoldt appeals for a free kick in a wrestle with Tom McDonald Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

WE PICK the biggest umpiring eyebrow-raisers of the weekend.

Each week we'll nominate the most controversial, baffling and unusual umpiring calls - all the interests of raising issues of rule interpretation so important to our game.

You can have a say by leaving a comment below or joining the debate on Facebook and Twitter.

We'll try to get answers from AFL House - but with Jeff Gieschen on holiday, the umps might have to speak for themselves.

This week we managed to avoid any video review blunders - in fact, there were a couple of occasions where the system worked as it should, with a quick clarification confirming the goal umpire's call - and the sliding rule was apparently given a bye.

But we were left with some long-term issues.

Lance Franklin grapples with Eric Mackenzie. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

WHO'S HOLDING WHO? (1)

It's fair to say Lance Franklin has a hate-hate relationship with the umps. He has given away a lot more frees than he has received over his career and the tally was against him again on Friday night - one for, four against. One of those four was a holding the man decision in favour of Eric Mackenzie after Buddy snaffled what appeared to be a great one-handed grab in the forward pocket during the second quarter.

Buddy was pulling up his socks ready to take a shot at goal when he realised the decision had gone against him, and he wasn't happy. Neither were Hawk fans but taking a look at the contest above, who would you give the free to? Franklin had a handful of Mackenzie's jumper and the Eagles backman had two handfuls of Franklin's arms. Probably best to just let it go.

Franklin may have got away with one moments later when he charged through Nic Naitanui, flattening Nic Nat with an accidental elbow to the face. The ump waved play on.

Lance Franklin cleans up Nic Naitanui. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

WHO'S HOLDING WHO? (2)

The umpire was faced with a similar dilemma at the MCG on Saturday and in this case the forward won out, with Nick Riewoldt handed a free kick at the top of the goalsquare against Tom McDonald. McDonald seemed hardly done by, with any hold minimal at best - although it worked against him that he had his back to the incoming ball. Fox Footy expert Alastair Lynch summed it up simply: "That is a terrible decision." Riewoldt's plea to the umpire worked, but it earnt him the jeers of Demon fans for the rest of the afternoon.

Nick Riewoldt shoots for goal. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

DAWES SLAMMED

Melbourne didn't get a lot of help from the umps, with the Riewoldt call coming soon after the umps had a hand in another Saints goal. McDonald was involved again, with his kick from the back pocket falling into the arms of Sean Dempster 65m out. The intended target Chris Dawes was in the air when Dempster took the ball and his fist just dislodged the ball from the defender's hands. The umpire paid a 50m penalty straight away, bringing Dempster to the top of the goalsquare, from where he easily slotted the 10th goal of his career in his 150th game.

Here is Mark Robinson's take in The Tackle: "It wasn't time wasting, it was a player giving effort in a contest ...'Spirit of the game' is not written in the rule book, but surely it has a place in the game."

St Kilda was also lucky in the first quarter when Justin Koschitzke somehow turned a chance to kick in easy goal from the goalsquare into a clumsy pile-up. The sympathetic ump gave him a free for high contact.

WENN SHOULD AN UMP GET INVOLVED IN THE GAME?

It was Stuart Wenn's Peter Carey moment. Wenn, an ump with more than 300 games' experience, unwittingly found himself playing a key role in the final quarter at the Gabba yesterday and, unlike Carey - who famously marked a ball in Perth in 1999 - he directly assisted in a goal.

With the Cats leading by 40 points four minutes into the term, a charging Steve Johnson skewed a kick across the centre square. Wenn jumped but couldn't get out of the way, and the ball rebounded off his boot to a grateful Dayne Zorko, who strolled to 55m and banged home a big goal.

It didn't seem too significant at the time - and the rule clearly states if the ball hits an umpire it is play on - but when Brisbane piled on seven of the next eight goals to steal and amazing win, Wenn's goal assist took on a whole new meaning.

"It was his first kick for the evening, and he certainly had an influence," Fox Footy expert Gerard Healy said.

Brisbane Lions veteran Ash McGrath has had a 200th game to remember, with the West Aussie helping his side to a remarkable five-point win over Geelong.


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