‘That’s a big call’: Controversial AFL buzzer beater ruins Demons

A controversial call in Melbourne’s loss to the Gold Coast had fans up in arms and adamant a team was dudded by a buzzer beater.

The Melbourne Demons have joined Carlton as finals hopefuls in serious trouble after a 58-point loss to Gold Coast Suns condemned the Dees to a 0-3 start to the season.

Melbourne struggled to hit the scoreboard at the MCG on Saturday afternoon as their lacklustre start to the season continued in a 18.12 (120) to 8.14 (62) loss.

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But Demons fans were cursing a shocking 40-second period at the end of the third quarter that snuffed out all hope of a late comeback in the game.

Melbourne’s Jake Melksham kicked inside 50 and Bayley Fritsch had plenty of space to take an uncontested mark, but the Demons forward fumbled and dropped the ball.

Fritsch managed to regather the ball and had a shot on goal that went through for a behind, but it was a chance gone begging.

Leigh Montagna said in commentary on Fox Footy: “Dropped a mark that he should have swallowed … couldn’t make the most of it.

“That sums up the Dees’ afternoon. Had to be better there Bayley Fritsch.

Brad Johnson said: “That’s a big missed opportunity for an experienced player.”

Bayley Fritsch dropped a sitter and the Suns capitalised. Photo: Fox Footy.

To make matters worse for the Dees, the Suns then went coast-to-coast from the ensuing kick-in, with the ball bouncing up for Will Graham to have a shot on goal, which he snapped through the big sticks.

To the naked eye it appeared the Suns youngster clearly threw the ball on his boot just another the siren had sounded to signal three quarter time.

Demons fans behind the goals waved their arms frantically to suggest the goal shouldn’t have counted as it was kicked after the siren.

“This is a big call,” Johnson said before the umpires signalled a goal.

“You can sense a fair bit of frustration among the playing group, particularly with that late goal in the third quarter,” Tom Hawkins said on Fox Footy.

Montagna said: “It was a massive momentum killer — the dropped mark from Bayley Fritsch — if he had kicked that it could have got them within 23 points.

“He missed and then this happened down the other end of the ground. Take a listen, did he (Graham) beat the siren? The goal stood and it’s a 34-point margin.”

Watch the buzzer beater goal in the video above

Will Graham kicked a goal on the stroke of three quarter time. Photo: Fox Footy.

Melbourne fans were convinced it wasn't a goal. Photo: Fox Footy.

Footy fans were absolutely convinced Graham kicked the goal after the siren had sounded and the buzzer beater goal should not have counted.

“Surely review that? Sounds to me like it went before he kicked it,” one fan wrote on X.

A second said: “Was the Suns goal after the siren? My thoughts were that the ball has to be mid flight to count, hence how marks are disallowed if the siren sounds before marking it.

A harsh fan said: “Umpires aren’t just blind, they’re deaf too apparently.”

Another said: “That was a full second after the siren wtf lol.”

Matt Rowell dominated and Ben King kicked four goals. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell put on a clinic, finishing with 36 disposals (19 contested), seven tackles and 13 clearances as he got the better of Demons star Clayton Oliver in a blockbuster match-up in the midfield.

Fox Footy’s David King described Rowell as a “one-man wrecking ball”.

King added: “He’s the most in form player in the comp right now. He is a beast.”

“We’re seeing an end of era with this Melbourne midfield, there’s no doubt about that.”

Montagna described the game as “an annihilation” by the Gold Coast Suns.

“They’re really missing Jake Lever today,” Hawkins said.

“Jake just gives them that flexibility in the defensive part of the ground that they haven’t quite had today.”

Losses to GWS, North Melbourne and Gold Coast mean Melbourne have started the season 0-3, while the Suns are 2-0 and turn their attention to a clash with the Adelaide Crows next Saturday.

Originally published as ‘That’s a big call’: Controversial AFL buzzer beater ruins Demons