Little known rule exposed in controversial finish to AFL thriller

The AFL has ticked off one of the more controversial finishes in recent history and it’s all down to one little known rule.

Did this ball go out of bounds before the siren went?

The AFL has ticked off on the controversial ending to North Melbourne’s one-point win over Fremantle.

In the dying seconds of the fourth quarter, Kangaroo Daniel Howe desperately kicked the ball from the last line of defence to the pocket, which by the letter of the law, would be insufficient intent.

While the ball was in the air, the field umpire said: “Yours (area of the ground to control). Pay it.”

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The ball crossed the boundary either as the siren sounded or right before it sounded.

The umpire added: “Siren! Siren!”, while a Fremantle player responded: “Deliberate!”

After a brief meeting with the other officials, the umpire called for full time and explained: “The siren went before it went out of bounds. That‘s the call we’ve made.”

The AFL said on Sunday morning it had reviewed the decision, concluding: “The final siren sounded before the ball goes out of play. The umpire’s decision on the ground was correct.”

Speaking post-match, foxfooty.com.au’s David Zita detailed the AFL guidelines.

“For the avoidance of doubt, if immediately before hearing the siren to end a quarter the field umpire is of the opinion a player should be awarded a free kick or a mark, the field umpire shall signal the play has come to an end, and then award the free kick to or mark to the player,” Zita said on Fox Footy.

But the umpires believed the siren went first – meaning a free kick could not be awarded.

It also mattered whether the boundary umpire signalled out of bounds in time for the free kick decision to be made by the umpire.

Did this ball go out of bounds before the siren went?

“It is razor thin we are talking about here, and it is obviously very different when you’ve got 50,000 fans screaming at you to pay a free kick,” Zita added.

Western Bulldogs great Brad Johnson pointed out that when the Kangaroos players started celebrating after hearing the siren, the ball was in fact out of play.

“North Melbourne’s players arms go in the air, and the ball is out of play. So they hear the siren and celebrate,” Johnson said on Fox Footy.

“If you pause, look where the Sherrin is.

“I think it’s out of play when that siren goes, going off when the North Melbourne players raise their arms in celebration.”

Freo robbed? (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

If the ball was out when the siren went, then the decision around whether it was deliberate or not would be rendered irrelevant.

Saints great Nick Dal Santo agreed with Johnson, but believes the umpire was “not wrong with his adjudication”.

“He’s said he thought the ball was before the line when the siren went,” the three-time All-Australian said.

“His determination is it was still in the field of play — I slightly disagree — but at least he thinks he knows what the rule is.

“So he hasn’t made a mistake in regards to the ruling, I just think he’s made a mistake in regards to whether the ball was in or out.”

Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said his team simply should’ve performed better.

“I don’t know, I’m not 100 per cent sure on the rules. Trust the umpire got it right. My gut feel is we would’ve stolen it (the win),” Longmuir said.

Originally published as Little known rule exposed in controversial finish to AFL thriller