‘That’s extraordinary’: AFL world blows up at umpire drama

Football commentators are blowing up after a series of controversial incidents during Collingwood’s win over the Demons.

This is comical. Photo: Fox Footy.

Football commentators are up in arms over a series of controversial moments during Collingwood’s win over the Demons at the MCG on Monday.

An incredible confrontation between Melbourne captain Max Gawn and star defender Steven May attracted all the headlines after the traditional King’s Birthday blockbuster, but it hasn’t stopped the umpires from coming under fire.

FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.

Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall was left staggered by the whistle-blowers after Collingwood was awarded a free kick during an incident where Magpies captain Darcy Moore shoved Jake Melksham to take out the legs of teammate Jeremy Howe.

Replays showed Moore had his hands on Melksham’s back as the former Essendon player slid under Howe during a marking contest.

The furious roar from the crowd said it all.

You can watch the incident in the video player above.

Jake Melksham took out Jeremy Howe's legs. Photo: Fox Footy.

This is comical. Photo: Fox Footy.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me,” Dunstall said in commentary for Fox Footy.

“You got to be kidding me. He got pushed into him. It has to be Melksham’s free kick. He just got pushed into Howell by Darcy Moore. That is extraordinary.”

Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell said: “That’s how the fans saw it in the stands. That’s how we all saw it, but the four (umpires) out there are the ones that count”.

The decision was widely criticised by fans and commentators.

One Melbourne fan wrote on X: “The AFL has completely lost the plot. The umpiring is terrible. That free against Melksham WTF. And the MRO is a joke.

“I’m not usually a Twitter whinger but enough is enough.”

It comes as former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas continued to publicly share his disappointment at the standard of umpiring this year.

The 67-year-old said recently the standard of officiating is the worst he has seen.

North Melbourne great David King said last month 2025 has been the worst season of officiating he has seen in the game.

Kane Cornes also said last month: “I feel like it’s never been worse”.

Thomas on Monday night was particularly unhappy with the handling of the special treatment Demons players gave to Collingwood star Nick Daicos.

Ed Langdon was given the job of doing a hard tag on the Collingwood ball-winner — and his niggling tactics were clearly working. He held Daicos to just seven disposals in the first half.

However, that changed dramatically in the second half when Langdon was penalised multiple times for holding and shoving Daicos during ball-ups.

Thomas posted on X during the game: “What the umpires are allowing Langford to get away with — at stoppages especially — is dreadful and sends a bad message to what’s acceptable”.

Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna described Langdon’s actions as being a “really old-school” tagger.

Demons coach Simon Goodwin said his team had devised the tactic of using Langdon on Daicos weeks ago.

The premiership coach was asked bluntly about the clear crackdown on Langdon’s niggling tactics in the second half and said: “It was certainly pretty clear post half-time, early especially, that they were watching some of the holding around the ball.

Nick Daicos is tackled by Ed Langdon. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Nick Daicos was not happy. Photo: Fox Footy.

“I’m not sure what transpired at half-time, but obviously the free kicks were pretty evident early in the third quarter.

“I don’t know what transpires in those breaks with the umpires and what they discuss, but hopefully they do it for every player.”

Collingwood coach Craig McRae congratulated Langdon on his performance.

“He did a great job,” McRae told AFL 360.

“It’s challenging because it’s all contest and it’s hard to get space. Nick’s biggest weapon is when he’s running – and Langdon is an elite runner. But we didn’t really get the ball into open spaces to allow Nick to be at his best.

“There comes a time when you’ve just got to do your job and we thought Nick fought it out pretty well in the second half.”

Daicos was clearly unsettled by the added physicality Langdon and Demons players dealt out and the Brownlow medal fancy at times let his frustrations show.

McRae was honest in his appraisal of the Daicos brothers, Josh and Nick, in his side’s thrilling one-point win over Melbourne.

“If one Daicos doesn’t get you, the second one will. It’s a nice duo, isn’t it,” he declared with a smile in his post-match press conference.

Josh was named the best player on the ground to take home the Neale Daniher Trophy as his younger brother faced one of the toughest tags in his short career.

Daicos found more of the footy in the second half and eventually finished with 19 disposals and a goal.

Josh finished as the leading disposal winner on the ground with 34 touches including 545 metres gained.

— with NewsWire

Originally published as ‘That’s extraordinary’: AFL world blows up at umpire drama