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AFL fans fume at umpiring ‘farce’ in heated clash of premiership heavyweights

Two premiership heavyweights met at the Gabba on Friday night but fans were less than happy about one stat in the all-important fixture.

Greg Davis and Jasper Bruce
4 min read
May 21, 2021 - 10:52PM
NCA NewsWire
The opening half of Friday night’s game was a tightly fought contest. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The opening half of Friday night’s game was a tightly fought contest. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The first half of Richmond’s clash with Brisbane at the Gabba was a tight tussle on the scoreboard, but there was one stat that was far from an even contest between the two premiership heavyweights.

AFL fans were left fuming as the free kick count soared to a staggering 20-6 in favour of the home side heading into the main break.

The Tigers have averaged 21.9 free kicks against them per game this season but were close to surpassing that total at the half on Friday night.

The ledger evened somewhat in the second stanza, but Brisbane still enjoyed the lion’s share all up, finishing ahead 28-16.

To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best and Brisbane underlined their undeniable premiership claims with a 28-point victory over reigning premier Richmond at the Gabba on Friday night.

With midfielders Hugh McCluggage, Dayne Zorko and Jarryd Lyons along with forwards Eric Hipwood and Zac Bailey leading the charge for the home side, the Lions registered their sixth-straight win in front of a heaving sellout crowd.

The depleted Tigers fought the good fight as long as they could but Brisbane’s midfield superiority eventually condemned Richmond to a fifth loss in 10 outings in 2021 as their flag defence suffered another blow.

After losing 15-straight matches to the Tigers over an 11-year span, Brisbane has now won its last two encounters with Richmond and the Lions reinforced their place in the top four after recovering from a slow start.

Hipwood and Bailey both kicked their fourth goals of the match in the last term to put the four points on ice. Goals to Lyons and Zorko then got the party started.

Tempers boiled over late when Marlion Pickett hit Brandon Starcevich high, sparking a minor melee with the Tigers utility placed on report.

The contest turned into an arm-wrestle at the start of third quarter when Tom Lynch levelled the scores with a goal but Brisbane then cracked open the game with the next four majors.

Bailey, Irishman Jimmy Madden, Joe Daniher and Rhys Mathieson all hit the scoreboard as the Lions kicked away from the Tigers.

Brisbane led by seven points at halftime after a pulsating opening two quarters with McCluggage at the heart of the Lions’ surge with 18 disposals, 11 contested possessions, three clearances and eight inside 50s to his name.

The Tigers started with a ferocious intensity that put Brisbane on the back foot as their defensive pressure and slick ball movement handed them the first three goals of the match and a 19-0 buffer with Jack Riewoldt booting two of the majors.

The Lions slowly but surely worked their way back into the contest after going the first 15 minutes without scoring with Keidean Coleman, Charlie Cameron and Bailey all kicking truly to reduce Richmond’s advantage to just eight points at quarter-time.

The Lions dominated the second term but only cashed-in to a certain extent with four goals to Richmond’s two. Hipwood kicked three of the goals for Brisbane who entered halftime with a clear advantage in inside 50s (37-19), clearances (22-11), contested possessions (84-57) and free kicks won (20-6).

A brilliant handball from Linc McCarthy to Bailey late in the second quarter gave the Lions the lead for the first time on the night.

The Lions have well and truly recovered from their sloppy start to the season. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Lions have well and truly recovered from their sloppy start to the season. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

HERE’S TO YOU, MR ROBINSON

Lions enforcer Mitch Robinson may have provided the blueprint to contain Dusty Martin’s trademark “don’t argue” fend with a unique tackling technique. Robinson leapt in the air with raised arms and smothered Martin with a “Human Blanket” wrestling move that wrapped up Martin in the second term and won a free kick. Brisbane kicked a goal through Eric Hipwood soon after to turn Robinson’s pressure into points. The Lions pinned Dusty two more times for holding the ball too.

TIRED TIGERS

There’s no substitute for class and experience and the undermanned Richmond midfield struggled to keep pace with Brisbane’s on-ball division. The Tigers were outstanding early but they were unable to maintain the rage as the likes of Hugh McCluggage and Jarryd Lyons took control. Jayden Short, Liam Baker and Bachar Houli battled manfully but needed more help.

MAD ABOUT MADDEN

Irishman James Madden was playing just his second game of senior football but showed he was – to be sure, to be sure – up to the level with a dynamic effort off halfback. Madden was brought in to replace the injured Darcy Gardiner. He got plenty of the ball when the Lions were under the pump in the first quarter and produced a burst of speed in the third quarter then kicked truly for his first career goal.

PACKED DEN

The Tigers are a hot ticket in Brisvegas. For the third match in a row against Brisbane in Brisbane, it was a sellout or near full house at the Gabba. Friday night’s match was officially a sellout and follows bumper crowds when the two teams met in the 2019 and 2020 finals series. The number of Richmond jumpers swarming around the ground and in the pubs before the match created a finals-like buzz that seemed a world away from COVID-19 concerns.

Score:

LIONS: 3.5 7.9. 11.10. 15.12 (102)

TIGERS: 5.1. 7.2 8.5 11.8 (74)

Goals:

LIONS: Bailey 4, Hipwood 4, Coleman, Cameron, Madden, Daniher, Mathieson, Lyons, Zorko.

TIGERS: Riewoldt 3, Lynch 3, Aarts 2, Ross 2, Naish

Greg Davis’ best:

LIONS: McCluggage, Lyons, Zorko, Hipwood, Bailey, Robinson

TIGERS: Balta, Short, Balta, Houli, Baker, Aarts, Pickett

Injuries:

LIONS:

TIGERS:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Greg Davis’ votes:

3: Hugh McCluggage

2: Jarryd Lyons

1: Dayne Zorko

Crowd: 31, 127

Originally published as AFL fans fume at umpiring ‘farce’ in heated clash of premiership heavyweights

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/afl-fans-fume-at-umpiring-farce-in-heated-clash-of-premiership-heavyweights/news-story/430d86f724951bf37c1f42811a5f6114