AFL ticks off timekeeping process which may have robbed Hawthorn of win over Port Adelaide

In a game decided by a goal with eight seconds on the clock, JON RALPH writes a missing 19 seconds after an umpire failed to call time on after a free kick has Hawks fans wondering if they were robbed of a win.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 19: Willie Rioli of the Power tackled by Karl Amon of the Hawks during the round 10 AFL match between Yartapuulti (the Port Adelaide Power) and Hawthorn Hawks at Adelaide Oval, on May 19, 2024, in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

The AFL has ticked off the umpiring process that saw Port Adelaide handed 19 extra seconds over a time-on call in their extraordinary victory over Hawthorn.

Darcy Byrne-Jones was handed those extra 19 seconds with 7.35min left in the match after he won a free kick against Sam Frost when he kicked one of his two last-term goals.

The umpire immediately called time off as the ball spilt and the ball was gathered by Byrne-Jones’ teammate Mitch Georgiades.

When the ball was handed back to him he was allowed those extra 19 seconds to return to the top of his mark, with the umpire only calling time back on when he was settled and ready.

Current and former AFL umpires said on Monday night the umpires were instructed to call time on as soon as a player had the ball again after being awarded a free kick.

AFL Round 10 Port Adelaide v Hawthorn: How the Power pulled off miracle comeback against the Hawks

The clock stopped after Willie Rioli was awarded a free kick late in the last quarter on Sunday against Hawthorn. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images.

Port Adelaide’s Willie Rioli was handed a free kick with 33 seconds left and time on was called as soon as he got the ball back from his Power teammate.

Those 19 seconds were crucial because Byrne-Jones kicked the matchwinner – one of two Port Adelaide goals in the final 23 seconds – with only eight seconds left.

The AFL said on Monday there was no timekeeping error because the clock had started as soon as the umpire called time on.

But with the league keen to promote a continuous game the Hawks would feel miffed their opponent secured an extra 19 seconds in the final 10 minutes of a game they were desperately attempting to hold onto.

Sam Mitchell admitted he was crestfallen to lose the game from 41 points up, with Fox Footy’s David King adamant he had attempted to save the game too early as he threw Blake Hardwick back into defence.

“So you’re telling the team ‘we’re going into save the game mode’. We’re going to put (midfielder Will) Day behind the ball, we’re going to chip it around. Twenty-five inside 50s to four in the last quarter (to Port Adelaide). They’ll be livid they lost that game, the Hawks.

“Full credit to Port, they kept coming at them, but when you go into save the game mode for 20 minutes of footy, you give them a sniff.”

Originally published as AFL ticks off timekeeping process which may have robbed Hawthorn of win over Port Adelaide