The AFL world remains divided by the controversial finish to the round two match-up between the Kangaroos and the Dockers, with the panel of Nine’s AFL Sunday Footy Show agreeing the “rule that needs to be looked at”.
The AFL has since okayed the umpiring decision which permitted North Melbourne’s one-point win over Fremantle on Saturday night, concluding: “The final siren sounded before the ball goes out of play.
“The umpire’s decision on the ground was correct.”
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“The key take away there was that the siren went before the ball was out of bound,” journalist Damien Barrett told the Sunday Footy Show.
“Effectively the ball was kicked, the umpires heard the siren and the ball went out of bounds – that’s the AFL’s version of it.
“I would imagine there might be some Fremantle supporters who may have through the order of events may have been their way leading, which would have resulted in a potential free kick after the siren for a shot at goal to potentially level the scores.”
The Kangaroos looked well and truly home in the fourth quarter before Fremantle kicked three goals in a matter of four minutes to set up an exhilarating final few seconds.
With the clock dwindling, Fremantle had one last entry inside forward 50 when Luke Ryan was given a free kick for deliberate out-of-bounds.
Ryan sent a long kick deep into Fremantle’s forward 50 before Daniel Howe swooped on a ball in a dispute inside the goal square and kicked it towards the boundary line.
The ball dribbled towards the boundary, reaching the line barely a second after the siren rang as Fremantle players protested for a deliberate out-of-bounds decision to be paid.
After a short conference, the umpires deemed that the siren had sounded before the ball left the field of play, therefore voiding the deliberate out-of-bounds call and preserving the one-point win for North Melbourne.
The decision was made despite the umpires deciding that they would pay Fremantle a deliberate out of bounds free kick shortly after Howe kicked the ball towards the boundary.
Impartial to the result of the match, host Tony Jones argued the verdict was misguided.
“I think the AFL is completely wrong,” he said.
“I think the siren sounded after the ball went out of bounds.”
“I don’t think you’re alone in that,” Barrett added.
“As a viewer, I thought at the time it was going to be [paid as deliberate] as well. Layer it with what the AFL has said today, I can see why they didn’t [pay it].
“Again, it’s in the eye and the ear of the beholder isn’t it?
Former star Nathan Brown questioned whether the umpires should have been able to call for the ARC to help make a careful call during a very intense moment.
“I think the umpires did the best job they could with what they had in their hands in the moment – I mean it was a very hard situation – that’s why it probably needs to go to the ARC,” he said.
“I think they should have that option there,” Jones added.
“I think one of the [Fremantle] players asked that question, ‘Can we look back at it’, and the umpire said, ‘No we can’t’.
“To avoid anything like this, and the ultimate embarrassment being on grand final day, I think – I’m not a big fan of video reviews but we’ve got them so use them – they should have the ability in situations like that where the game hinges on the final second, where they do go to the video.
“I think it’s conclusive.”
Speaking during the AFL’s The Round So Far, journalist Riley Beveridge explained that according to the game’s rules, the ball is not deemed out of bounds until the boundary umpire calls it out of bounds.
“Based on that, [the decision is] correct,” Jones said.
“Yes, based on that it is correct but I’m not sure that’s what the AFL said,” Kane Cornes added.
“No they haven’t, they’ve just said, ‘The siren went before the ball went out’, which is wrong,” Jones replied.
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