‘The AFL is a joke!’ Footy fans fuming after Crows are denied a match-winning goal against the Swans

The umpires, the Crows, the AFL? Just who should cop the blame for the Adelaide goal that wasn’t a goal? Here’s what furious footy fans are saying about the controversial call.

A controversial umpiring decision that denied Adelaide a match-winning goal in the dying seconds of its clash with the Sydney Swans has sparked a furious backlash from Crows fans who could hardly believe what they were seeing on Saturday night.

Hundreds of people took to News Corp websites and social media pages to vent their spleen over the call, which the AFL on Sunday conceded was the result of ‘human error’.

Naturally, many fans were left fuming over the outcome of the match, which effectively ended the Crows’ finals chances.

But amid all the anger, there was also a nuanced discussion about the rules of review, the Crows’ accuracy throughout the season and how umpires might be made more accountable for a bad decision.

Here’s just a taste of what you’ve been saying in the wake of the Crows’ heartbreaking one-point loss to Sydney.

If you’d like to have your say, simply comment below or head over to The Advertiser’s Facebook page.

WE WAS ROBBED!

GOR PIE
The Crows were robbed. It happened right in front of me.

NELL
I wonder what game the field umpires were watching. The goal umpire was on the wrong side to make a call on whether the ball touched the inside of the post. Poor positioning and lack of support by the field umpires has cost the Crows a win and possible spot in the eight.

JOE
Robbed. Typical umpires this year.

DAVID
The club must be compensated and so must the paying members. Totally outrageous. This is an absolute travesty of justice.

RAELENE
If this was dear old Collingwood I bet the rules would be changed immediately.

THE RIGHT CALL

WAYNE
It clearly hit the post!

SUCK IT UP, CROWS!

BADEN
Get over it, whingeing Cows. It was a point because the goal umpire, who was closest, saw or heard it hit the post/padding. Couldn’t expect much more from a bunch of “Johnny come lately” chardonnay-sucking football supporters.

NOT GOOD ENOUGH, AFL

OLD CODGER
Just watch last night’s FIFA World Cup match to see how seriously potential game-altering umpire decisions are taken. The AFL administration is a money grabbing bad joke.

MARY

The incompetence of a Mickey Mouse institution a disgrace to all footy followers. A poor outcome for all team.

ANDY
The incompetence of the AFL is mind-boggling. Week after week we are seeing appalling decisions. How can this not have even been reviewed, particularly as a team’s finals aspirations hinge on it it? It’s indefensible.

MARIE
I don’t barrack for Crows, but this decision by the AFL is atrocious. Totally unfair decision but what do we expect because we are not Victorians and they only look after their teams as usual.

PHILLIP
Unfortunately this year’s AFL premiers will have an asterisk alongside them. The final eight was decided by a wrong umpiring decision, (a) wrong decision not reviewed. The AFL and the finals outcome is a joke.

CHRISTINE
At the end of the day this game will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Yes, the Crows lost the first three quarters badly, but to lose by an umpiring mistake is a hard pill to swallow. Two bad calls in the one season can cost people their careers and that’s sad!

CHRIS
Should be an inquiry into that decision. A lot of money at stake. Definitely a goal.

HUGH
As a Saints supporter I am going to be furious if we end up missing out on the final eight because Swans are there illegally. I watched the game. The ball didn’t go anywhere near the post. Madness.

BLIND FRED

AFL has become a total joke, where something like this is even possible! Every time there is a close goal, I’ve always seen the field umpire run to the goal umpire and almost always it was reviewed! Sure the goal umpire is suspended, but what was the field umpire doing? This one decision has killed off the finals, they now mean nothing. It’s not just the Crows, but other sides have been effected. Just call this season off as a non-event, or change the result. They are the only two options the AFL have.

THAT’S IT, I’M DONE

SCOTT
I will not go or watch another game of AFL.

CROWS SHOULD RIOT

STEVE
Crows are weak if they don’t take it further. Take a stand and get the other clubs involved.

STAN

Good grief. The AFL effectively admits it was a mistake and the Crows just go ‘Oh well....move on’.

GRAHAM
Crows, please do not bow down to the AFL but maintain the rage. All your fans have been let down and AFL think a few words is going to fix it? Height of arrogance.

A MATTER FOR CANBERRA

MATTHEW
The Prime Minister should step in and reprimand the AFL for being “unAustralian”!! Shame on AFL for not reviewing and overruling the decision.

THE RULES ARE FOR EVERYONE

MIKHAIL
Crows are sounding like the English cricket team. Happy for no review after the Josh Jenkins point is called a goal and wins them a Showdown. But when the same error goes against them they suddenly want the rules changed just for them.

PAM
OMG, move on people. What happened to umpire’s rule is law?

CHANGE THE RULES

ROMEO

Umpiring needs an overhaul. Arc has made the goal umpire an unenviable job. Farcical. Players suspended with footage that makes the video footage from bank robberies look like 4K UHD.

JOMO

The scoring rules are simply not fit for purpose. Simplify the rule for what is a goal and there will be no need for expensive review technology.

TRY AGAIN NEXT YEAR, CROWS

JEFF
What’s the moaning about? You finished 15th in 2021 and 14th in 2022. You have had a good year, by your standards, and will finish 2023 season in position 12. Next season you have a good year you could be in 10th position.

ADELAIDE’S ACCURACY THE REAL ISSUE

ADRIAN
Poor accuracy most of the season is why we ain’t playing finals.

PS
Bottom line (the Crows) should not have to rely on almost the last kick of the night at the end of a game, at the end of a season, to fall into the finals. It’s the close games lost this season that has hurt the most. Opportunities were missed to kick goals during the game.

CHRIS
The decision should have been reviewed (though the result would most likely be the same due to insufficient evidence to overturn) however the Crows lost the game due to a terrible first half performance and numerous wasted opportunities in the final term.

JULIE
As a Crow fan from day one. I think (a) it was a goal but (b) it wasn’t that call which cost the Crows the game. It was the first three quarters. If they had played anywhere near their best they wouldn’t be relying on a last-minute goal.

ALL ABOARD THE KARMA BUS

EMMA
No doubt it was a goal and I’m a Port supporter - loving it. Josh Jenkins karma bus has just arrived.

ROS
This makes up for the Josh Jenkins poster that was called a goal in the Showdown.

The customers were happy to take that, so karma.

POINT PERSON

LEONARD
My point is it looked like a point, but I hate to be the one to point this out. But I’ve made my point.

POINT, GOAL - WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

CHRIS
It’s all silly. It’s about time the rules changed so that if the ball goes through the post, whether it hit the post or not, it should be counted as a goal. No different to soccer.

RICK
Review all hit posts. Or make it simple, ball kicked hits post goes through goal it’s a goal, same for a point, kick the ball, hits the post comes back into play, play on. Gets rid of some reviews takes pressure off the umps. Win-win.

SAMANTHA
How about we just change the stupid rule. If it goes through the goal, it’s six points. Simple! Who cares if it touches the post? Mistakes like this go away in a second, and who needs the stupid ARC, and or stupid technology! Move on!

HERE’S AN IDEA

BILL
After that season defining blunder maybe there should be a wildcard round to playoff in the finals!

MICHAEL
There are two ways they can fix this; either make next week’s game worth eight points, or take two points from both Sydney and Collingwood to make up for both games that AFL admitted the umps cost the Crows.

RON
It’s another reason why we need eight goal umpires at each end.