I agree with David, the Saints got lucky with the umps in the NAB Cup G/F, but then it was only a preseason comp. Hopefully the Umps will lift their game for the major rounds....C'mon CROWS lets show em

I don't think I actually COULD rip my soul out in order to switch allegiances, so I will have to take your word...

Its a practice match, a part of a practice match series of games. These games have added rules to the games, which are not included in the season proper, making it tougher on the umpires. Yes, the umpires did seem to favour the saints, but you also got to look at it, the bombers did tend to make afew too many mistakes too... The game itself was nothing to write home about, even if we won, it was a sloppy game, poor ball handling, umpiring decisions, kicking, etc, etc, but its just a practice match for the young players to get a shot...

Hopefully the umpires will have their own practice matches to 'get their eye in'...

Bombers getting dodgy decisions against them, how things have changed!! Maybe it's payback for years of favouritism. Tarrant's suggestion more likely though.

Remember, it's just the NAB cup. Just as the players' skills are crap in the pre-season, the umpires tend to be a bit trigger-happy with the whistle, particularly on holding the ball decisions.

But, as keen observers will testify to, this always relaxes through the pre-season and early rounds of the year. Within a month of the season beginning, the umpires have usually settled into the accepted interpretations of holding the ball, and tend to pay it less often but fairly consistently.

Also, remember that the holding the ball interpretations are not strictly coded - the Wikipedia article "Holding the ball" gives a fairly good summary of the way umpires are generally paying it.

Unlike Geelong players - who can get paid a mark if a ball passes through their fingers.. (That's been happening for years, just look at most of the G Ablett (snr) 'marks' - he barely touched the footy, let alone holds it or controls it...