Blues to seek Cripps answer
I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. THE UMPIRES SEEM TO LET IT GO.
CARLTON will again raise Patrick Cripps’ treatment with the umpires this week after footage emerged of him being regularly mauled by North Melbourne midfielders in the victory over the Roos.
Carlton indicated on Monday it has had regular communication with the umpires about Cripps’ treatment, with his lack of free kicks at stoppages on the agenda again.
News Corp understands the issue of Cripps being stopped from getting to the ball by players with their back to the stoppage is of particular concern. Cripps did not get a free kick when tackled to the ground by Jed Anderson at a stoppage, which resulted in a melee that saw him fined $750 for wrestling.
But Carlton was as aggrieved by tactics highlighted by Fox Footy on Sunday which showed North Melbourne players defending Cripps with their back to the ball.
On several occasions Cripps was effectively tackled by those players with their hands around him as they faced away from stoppages. Yet Cripps gave away five free kicks to the one he was awarded, having been given 15 free kicks for the year and having given away 17.
Carlton champion Mark Maclure said if the umpires paid more genuine holding
MARK MACLURE
free kicks at stoppages it would help rid the game of the congestion that currently plagues the code. But he said Carlton’s midfielders also had to give Cripps more protection, which would highlight to umpires his manhandling.
“I am not happy about it. The umpires seem to let it go. What was the umpire doing? At ball ups and boundary throw-ins everyone has their arms around each other,’’ he said.
“Diesel Williams would have punched his opponent. He would have belted them and the umpire would have said nothing because they would have deserved it but Cripps can’t do that because he would be out for two weeks.”
Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd confirmed the Blues were regularly in contact with umpires boss Grant Williams to get clarification.
“I think one of the reasons we love watching the (Marcus) Bontempelli’s and Patty Cripps for us is they are ball hunters and you like to see those guys getting a really good run at the footy without being impeded,” he said.