AFL round 16: Geelong v Essendon, stats, SuperCoach and news
Geelong claimed a crucial win to stop its slide, but there was only one true talking points at the MCG — the umpiring. SAM LANDSBERGER says the pressure will be on Laura Kane to explain a host of calls which had Bomber fans fuming.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
How is Laura Kane going to explain these umpiring decisions?
The AFL’s new football boss surprised the football world when she justified the decision not to award Bailey Scott a 50m penalty in the frenetic finish to the North Melbourne-Collingwood game.
On Saturday night at the MCG there was not one match-defining whistle … but closer to 10 of them.
How was Zach Tuohy not penalised for front-on contact when he spoiled Sam Draper by chopping his arms directly in front of goal?
The non-decision led to a stoppage and from that Geelong won a free kick in the ruck. The Cats went end-to-end as Gary Rohan marked strongly overhead and threaded a goal.
Should Jye Menzie have been penalised for deliberately rushing a behind?
Jye Menzie pinged for a deliberate rushed behind...#AFLCatsDonspic.twitter.com/g0FUI7buZw
— 7AFL (@7AFL) June 29, 2024
Essendon fans FURIOUS Sam Draper wasn't awarded a free kick after this contest...#AFLCatsDonspic.twitter.com/ekmj6khaJt
— 7AFL (@7AFL) June 29, 2024
Ridley pinged for HTB - did he have prior opportunity? another geelong GOAL from free kick #AFLCatsDonspic.twitter.com/yIxXHoVO4u
— outbreezy (@outbreezyWC) June 29, 2024
Menzie walked the ball across the goalline, but was there pressure from within 9m as Oliver Dempsey stood nearby in the goalsquare?
Dempsey slotted the goal.
Did Jordan Ridley have prior opportunity before he was perfectly tackled by Tyson Stengle?
Stengle went back and nailed the goal.
How was Tom Stewart not penalised when he was tackled bursting out of halfback?
Perhaps he was stripped of the ball in the tackle. But it seemed strange to ping Ridley and wave play on at Stewart.
Did Gryan Miers’ kick directly to the boundary line have sufficient intent to remain in play? The umpires thought so.
All four of them. That’s the compounding part.
When mistakes are made – and umpires are human, so nobody is expecting every whistle to be the right one – aren’t there now three teammates who can overrule to ensure the right call is made?
Perhaps no errors were made.
My gut feel was the Menzie deliberate rushed behind call was the right one, the Tuohy arm chop was the wrong one and the holding the balls … well, who really knows given interpretations seem to go ‘Hot n Cold’ like Katy Perry sung.
"A series of unfortunate events" ... sounds like a movie. But it was Brad Scott's description of a few questionable (wrong?) umpiring decisions which hurt the Bombers. Says he was disappointed his team lost momentum after the decisions. The AFL's explanations will be interesting.
— Glenn McFarlane (@MaccaHeraldSun) June 29, 2024
Disgraceful umpiring. Draper arm chop ignored. Rohan kicks a goal moments later. Dons rush a behind under direct pressure and are penalised. Three goal turnaround. We have lost the plot
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) June 29, 2024
No free to Draper for front on contact…..
— David King (@davidking34) June 29, 2024
Deliberate at other end…..wow!
The Bombers will be furious and rightly so!
But it would be nice to hear from the AFL and the league’s transparency on dubious calls has been welcomed this season.
Those in the crowd of 54,698 who braved the wet and wild conditions must have gone home feeling like kicking the cat … or perhaps the cow, given it was the Country Game.
All of those decisions happened within about 15 minutes during the third quarter that had Bombers supporters seeing red.
The rub of the green went broadly Geelong’s way and at three quarter-time they showered boos on the men in yellow.
Radio commentators upstairs wondered whether the umps would need a security escort out of the ground.
“The umpires, well they’re having an impact in this game it’s fair to say,” one pondered.
The Bombers were on the right side of an umpiring mistake in their last-gasp win against Adelaide this year.
It was one of several games decided by the umps. Some might look at the scoreboard and wonder if they really had an impact at the MCG.
When Mitch Knevitt curved through a right-foot banana goal it was party time as the lead ballooned to 45 points.
But the Cats were trailing before the umps inserted themselves at critical moments.
They kicked 5.2 from their first nine entries in the third term during that run of whistles.
Perhaps the Cats would have run away anyway.
Tuohy wound back the clock with some desperate efforts, Dempsey did his Rising Star chances no harm from the wing, Tom Stewart (23 disposals) shook off his recent tagging troubles in the midfield and debutant Lawson Humphries looked a find.
Humphries was overlooked for two drafts before earning his chance with the second-last selection last year.
It seemed like he was brought in to satisfy Geelong’s need for speed.
The Cats are now 19-3 against the Bombers dating back to 2006 with an average winning margin north of eight goals.
They bully the Bombers, who are now 1-4 against top-eight teams and 8-1 against the rest.
As for the coaching twins? Chris now leads Brad 11-4.
A clever finish from Ollie Dempsey âš½#AFLCatsDonspic.twitter.com/BQX7ttdOtv
— AFL (@AFL) June 29, 2024
Originally published as AFL round 16: Geelong v Essendon, stats, SuperCoach and news
Why Harley is ready for his moment in history
For the first time in his career – junior or senior – Harley Reid will step onto footy’s biggest stage on Sunday – the MCG. And, as MARK DUFFIELD finds out, he was made for these moments.
Cats complete again as Hawks hit a wall down the highway
Like many clubs before them, Hawthorn headed down the highway and drove straight into a wall, writes JOSH BARNES. But this was a game that told us more about Chris Scott’s Cats.