WELCOME to a special edition of our weekly umpiring assessment, If You Don't Mind, Umpire.

Today we turn the spotlight on the Eagles and their extraordinary run with the umps.

North Melbourne fans don't need reminding after West Coast pinched victory against the Roos in Round 8 with the help of a couple of questionable late frees, and yesterday the Saints were on the receiving end.

Are the Eagles playing smart, are they just lucky or is something else going on?

And we don't miss the other big rule controversies of the season which raised their heads again on the weekend - the video goal review and the new sliding rule.

Have your say on these decisions and let us know any we missed by leaving a comment below or sending a note on Twitter or Facebook .

EAGLES, UMPS ON A ROLL

The steam coming out of Etihad Stadium about 7.30pm last night was from about 20,000 fuming St Kilda fans who felt they copped a raw deal in the four-point loss to West Coast. The numbers seem to back them up - the Eagles won the free kick count 22-14 for the game, including a 6-1 run in the final term. And three of those late West Coast frees resulted in goals.

Dean Cox got things started when he converted after umpires ruled he was held by Rhys Stanley in a boundary throw-in wrestle just 30sec into the term, and with 11min left Matt Priddis made the most of another chance after copping a smack on the nose from Dylan Roberton that might have been missed most weeks. The call that really got the fans out of their seats came less than a minute later when Priddis tried to fend off Sean Dempster then dropped the ball as he fell to the turf. The umpire paid a push in the back which seemed tough on the Saints defender, who dragged Priddis down but landed beside him in the forward pocket. The result - another Eagles goal.





media_camera Stephen Milne shows his frustration after giving away a free kick for a push in the back to Shannon Hurn. Picture: Wayne Ludbey







The last straw was when Ahmed Saad was pinged for holding the ball with just 22sec left in the game after he appeared to be collected high in a tackle as St Kilda made one last roll of the dice to snatch back the lead.





media_camera The umpires cop it from St Kilda fans after the match at Etihad Stadium. Picture: Michael Klein













Most frustrating was that the relaxing of free kick numbers evident in recent weeks was apparently abandoned for one match - the 36 frees at Etihad Stadium was clearly the most of any match for the round and more than double the number paid in the Carlton v Essendon clash on Friday night.



And when it comes to fans' free kick anger, the Eagles are repeat offenders.

The Eagles have won 214 more free kicks than their direct opponents since the start of 2011. The next best is Port Adelaide with a +112 differential. Who is ranked last? The Saints at -83.

In that time Dean Cox has won the equal most frees in the comp (141) with Geelong captain Joel Selwood. Luke Shuey and Matt Priddis are also in the top 10 for frees for.

This season the Eagles have won the third-most frees but rank second in differential, winning 230 frees in 11 rounds and giving away 184 for a +46 result. Here's the full list (Saints fans may want to look away now).

FREE KICK DIFFERENTIAL 2013

+56 North Melbourne

+46 West Coast

+27 Geelong

+19 Essendon

+7 Melbourne

+1 Gold Coast

Even Adelaide

Even Collingwood

-1 Western Bulldogs

-6 Port Adelaide

-6 Brisbane Lions

-7 Sydney

-8 Fremantle

-12 Hawthorn

-13 Richmond

-23 GWS

-23 Carlton

-47 St Kilda

FREE KICK DIFFERENTIAL 2011-2013

+214 West Coast

+112 Port Adelaide

+49 North Melbourne

+37 Collingwood

+ 37 Fremantle

+15 GWS Giants

-5 Carlton

-8 Western Bulldogs

-10 Essendon

-17 Sydney

-31 Geelong

-32 Gold Coast

-36 Richmond

-39 Adelaide Crows

-46 Hawthorn

-76 Melbourne

-81 Brisbane Lions

-83 St Kilda





media_camera Nick Riewoldt wasn't rewarded for this perfect tackle. Picture: Wayne Ludbey







































SLIPPERY WHEN WET

The toughest test of the new sliding rule was always going to come on a wet day when players are struggling to keep their feet. That test came on the Gold Coast on Saturday night, and the rule didn't hold up too well.

At least the teams split the benefits of two glaring howlers.

North was first to cash in when Aaron Black was handed a shot at goal after Suns defender Sam Day fell over and landed next to his opponent's feet. But the tables were turned in the final term when Trent McKenzie launched his boot into a loose ball on the wing and nearly took Scott McMahon's hand off as he tried to gather the slippery pill.

What in the past would have been paid a free for kicking in danger was instead a free to McKenzie, who ran unimpeded to half-forward and kicked long in a play that ended in a Suns goal.

Nobody has a problem with a rule that protects players from broken legs. But the part of the rule that says there must be "forceful contact" for a free kick to be paid seems to be forgotten too often. The victim in both cases would have been unlucky to suffer a bruised toenail.

And it wouldn't hurt if the umps gave the players some leeway in a monsoon.

media_camera Jeff Garlett was denied a goal for this effort in the goalsquare on Friday night.

VIDEO UMP OFF THE HOOK

And now for the weekly video goal review debacle.

This week's entry came on Friday night, when Carlton's Jeff Garlett got a toe to the ball in the goalsquare but was denied a goal. The video review didn't get it wrong exactly because it wasn't used at all.

The reason for that was Dustin Fletcher kicked in almost immediately, and the rules state if play has resumed it can't be stopped for a goal review. Not sure why if it's going to avoid a goal umpiring clanger that can change the result of the game.

The quirk in the rules means goals are more likely to be overturned than behinds. Not sure that was the intention of the system.

It also presents teams with an obvious opportunity - if you think the opposition might have been robbed of a goal, kick in as quick as you can before the umpire upstairs hits the replay button.

The AFL has already admitted the goal ump got this one wrong.