Orange Card

[CapnBloodbeard]

This shouldn't really apply to challenges, if its reckless then caution and if it's excessive force/dangerous then dismiss, regardless of the temperature or mood,,,,they are mandatory sanctions.

You will get yourself in a world of hurt if you try to sell a reckless challenge as careless just because it's been a nice game so far...

Where it could apply is offences like delaying the restart, not retreating etc or when you choose to play, or not, advantage.

For me it's about the referee being able to increase/decrease their involvement according to the 'temperature' of a game.....not whether they can find an excuse to avoid a card because everyone's been really nice to each other!

But challenges aren't that 'black and white' padfoot.
There are also challenges which would be borderline reckless, or borderline excessive. Those are the 'orange' cards. It's when it's around the border that you take into consideration the other factors. But I think even the border itself can certainly shift depending on the game.

Though I don't see why you wouldn't also adopt the black and white approach to things like delaying...after all, you're either delaying the restart or you're not. You're not encroaching or you are ;-)

Is anybody here really going to have the exact same tolerance for all fouls for a heated, aggressive local derby that's already had one melee, versus a 9-3 bottom of the ladder game played in great spirits? Of course you're not. And even what's borderline in one match won't be borderline in the next.

I don't genuinely believe that there is anybody on here who doesn't take into consideration the age/grade/skill of the players, type of match (friendly? tournament? final? exhibition?), mood of the match, previous actions by offending player, previous responses to similar challenges, mood of the last 10 minutes of the match (or less if a key incident has occurred)....etc etc. For the most part those factors won't shift your tolerance a great deal, but if you're ever watched a referee not give a card and though 'this game's so heated that he really needed to give the card there'.... ;-)

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Too long to go into here (and way off topic), but due to circumstance, that wasn't going to happen. My 'polite' WhatsApp response to the assessor (sent me a WhatsApp asking if that assessment was 'all good'), after I'd genuinely politely acknowledged his email, probably didn't help my own cause, but I felt a serious amount of relief after it!

Shoot first, ask questions later? A good response sometimes; other times not so good

 

[DanCohen17]

Shoot first, ask questions later? A good response sometimes; other times not so good

Knew I was coming off as a 4, so didn't care. Assessment was end of Feb, report came in (and my response) was March. My best games were post-March 1st, when I'd made my decision and was content with it. It's amazing what a sense of relief can do to an official...!

In terms of the recent posts here, agreed about the 'borderline' challenges being those that we are speaking of. A borderline careless/reckless, viewed by 2 officials who have differing opinions, is the same argument, just with less ramifications at the time. I think all borderline calls end up being influenced by the temperature and attitude of the game. High temperature Derby, cards flowing already, borderline card will always be the 'higher' one.
Comfortable win for one side, good spirit etc, borderline cards will be the 'lower' one. I don't think this is bottling it.
Additionally, none of this gives allowance or excuse for obvious cards to be ignored or decided against, regardless of the game situation. An awful, excessive force challenge in an otherwise tremendous game to officiate, is something that we don't like to do but have to. In my experience, players do actually feel sympathy with the referee in that situation, but it's the way you 'sell' that decision. Make it clear & obvious that you've had no choice, show empathy (depending on player reaction and fouled players injury, of course) and players will accept the decision very easily, even in this situation!

 

[RustyRef]

That is plain wrong. An error should not bring double penalty. That alone is grounds to appeal.

I was once marked down in application of law, decision making & accuracy, match control, and alertness & awareness for one incident in a contrib game...!! I could have appealed but given I somehow came out with a 71 that would have been very silly as the mark would have only gone in one direction and it wouldn't have been upwards.

 

[Brian Hamilton]

I was once marked down in application of law, decision making & accuracy, match control, and alertness & awareness for one incident in a contrib game...!! I could have appealed but given I somehow came out with a 71 that would have been very silly as the mark would have only gone in one direction and it wouldn't have been upwards.

Can rescue a 71 if you get in enough games/assessments but a 63 is a season ender