AFL round 2: Fremantle v North Melbourne, controversial finish video

The AFL has ruled on a contentious non-decision in the thrilling final seconds of North Melbourne’s win.

Andrew Brayshaw pleads for a free kick at the end of the game.

The AFL says a contentious non-decision in the thrilling final seconds of North Melbourne’s win over Fremantle on Saturday night was correct.

The league has provided vision and audio of the controversial last play where a North Melbourne kick out of bounds bounced over the boundary line after the siren had sounded.

The kick could have been penalized for insufficient intent but the league has backed the umpires’ decision to end the game first as the league said the siren sounded before the Sherrin bounced over the boundary line.

WATCH THE VIDEO IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

While it is a split-second call, the league is satisfied the umpires made the right decision in a high-pressure moment and the game result - which was a one-point win to North Melbourne - was correct.

In the AFL clip released to the media on Sunday morning, umpires can be heard saying “the siren went before it went out of bounds”.

Fremantle fans and players were frustrated the team did not receive a free kick after the siren to have a shot at winning the game from 50m.

The loss has left the Dockers at 0-2 to start the season despite being widely considered a top-four contender after securing Melbourne’s Luke Jackson in the trade period.

North has made a brilliant start to the season, going undefeated over the first two rounds under new coach Alastair Clarkson.

Dockers captain Alex Pearce questions the non-deliberate call. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Were Dockers robbed in late drama?

Controversy has erupted in the west after a dramatic finish to Fremantle’s clash with North Melbourne.

The Dockers stormed home in the last five minutes, kicking three goals to get within a point after North had led for most of the match.

The final seconds of the match were shrouded in controversy after Daniel Howe’s clearing kick denied Fremantle a point which would have tied the game.

It was just a couple of seconds that separated Howe from being a hero or a villain in his debut game for North Melbourne.

The former Hawk had been on the bench watching the game as the medi-sub for most of the night, as his side lead from start to finish.

But he found himself in the thick of things when his kick from deep in defence headed straight for the boundary line, about 10m short of the 50m line, without a North teammate in sight.

It would have been a free kick to Fremantle and a shot after the siren to win or draw the game, if the siren hadn’t sounded moments before the ball crossed the line.

Most of the 40,487 at Optus Stadium thought it should have been a free kick.

About 500 North fans at the ground celebrated the amazing climax when the umpires lifted their hands to end the game.

Neither coach really knew what was going to happen, both unsure of what the rule is.

Alastair Clarkson wasn’t surprised to see the game ended.

“My understanding is that the siren went when the ball was still in play,” he said. “I think that’s just my naked observation of it.

“And I’m not sure if that’s the case or not. And so, if the ball is in play and the siren goes, then what happens post the siren if it goes out of bounds or not? The game is dead.

“That is my understanding of that. I’m not sure if that’s actually accurate or not. So, it’ll be interesting to see.

“So, the lap of the Gods was with us just for that last bit and I think our footy club deserves it just this once.

Andrew Brayshaw pleads for a free kick at the end of the game.

“We were jumping for joy and then there’s a little bit of dispute on whether they’d called full time or whatever.

“There was a little bit of a cheer and I thought that it had come from the Freo supporters to say it was gonna be their free kick, but the cheer was from the 500 North supporters that we had in stadium.

“It was a pretty loud cheer from those 500 or 1000.”

Justin Longmuir simply trusted the umpires.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure on the rules,” he said. “You know what, I trust the umpire got it right. My gut feel is we would have stolen it if we had got a shot on goal and we had have drawn or won it.

“On that last incident, I trust the umpire got it right.”

The umpires appear to have made the correct decision, deeming the ball to still be in play when the siren sounded.

The ruling is that play for the quarter will end immediately at the sound of the siren, however if a ball is already in flight beforehand it can still register a score.

Clarko lauds young Roo in frantic final minute

Despite a perfect 2-0 start the 2023 season, Alastair Clarkson realistically admits that North Melbourne still has a lot of work ahead of it.

But after beating the two Western Australian sides in consecutive weeks, including a thrilling one-point win on Perth on Saturday night he said the Roos have shown they are on the right track.

Having led by 22 points against the Dockers, North let the Dockers back into the game, but were able to defend frantically in the final minute to hold on for a famous win.

Clarkson said the start to the season was reward for the hard work the squad has been prepared to do.

“We’ve been smacked around as a as a footy club the last couple of years, so yeah we went on the road against a really good side and they came really hard in the second half,” he said.

“But we just continue to hold up and in really important stages.

“They got some momentum and we just managed to get forward and just kick a really important goal just to stem the flow.

“I’m not sure if they ever kicked three goals in a row for the game.”

#AFLFreoNorthpic.twitter.com/pCUW1twQdA

— Roaming Gryan (@ChipG1990) March 25, 2023

The siren clearly went after the ball went out. York Park ‘06 all over again for Fremantle. #AFLFreoNorth

— Daniel Garb (@DanielGarb) March 25, 2023

Freo were robbed of a chance to have a shot at goal. That went out of bounds before the siren sounded. Wow! #AFLFreoNorth

— Ronny Lerner (@RonnyLerner) March 25, 2023

The real question is, were those 18 seconds added back to the clock after that Taberner mark/goal reversal? #AFLFreoNorth

— Damo (@DamoSC) March 25, 2023

Fremantle captain Alex Pearce argues his case after the siren.

In that frantic final minute, young gun Harry Sheezel stood up again, getting a crucial stop with seconds on the clock.

He showed a calm head for someone in his second game, not allowing the ball to push past him for a behind — that would have drawn the game.

Sheezel was again outstanding, with 30 disposals, at better than 70 per cent efficiency.

Clarkson prised his new young star, but warned there is more terrific talent still to shine through.

“Yeah, to have the presence in that situation to not allow that point to be rushed through,” Clarkson beamed.

“You know, we w there’s a whole group of those guys. I mean, I know that Sheez is just getting the plaudits at the moment, but we we’re really excited with what what’s coming in to the footy club.”

Originally published as AFL round 2: Fremantle v North Melbourne, controversial finish video