VFL 2018: Coburg denied first win of VFL season as late freekick allows Sandringham to salvage draw

THIS is the contentious decision that denied Coburg its first win of the VFL season and allowed Sandringham to escape with a draw on Saturday.

The moment an umpire awarded a 50m penalty which cost Coburg victory against Sandringham. Picture: Dave Savell.

THIS is the contentious decision that denied Coburg its first win of the VFL season and allowed Sandringham to escape with a draw at the Coburg City Oval on Saturday.

A rookie Coburg trainer running to help injured Lions player Sam Lowson ran across the mark moments before Sandy’s Doulton Langlands kicked for goal after the final siren.

Langlands’ shot fell short from about 46m out.

Coburg thought it had a six-point victory.

But a field umpire about 30m away awarded Langlands a 50m penalty when the first-year Coburg trainer went across the mark.

Footage of the incident shows the trainer was 10m from Langlands, who was only three paces into his approach to goal.

The moment an umpire awarded a 50m penalty which cost Coburg victory against Sandringham. Picture: Dave Savell.

The 50m took the Zebra to the goal square and the match was drawn, Coburg 12.7 (79) to Sandy 11.13 (79).

Coburg GM Seb Spagnuolo said Lowson had gone down with an ankle injury “about three or four metres to the right of the Sandy player having the shot’’.

Spagnuolo said the trainer “ran through the mark to get to our injured player’’.

“You just can’t plan for these things. The kid (trainer) is a 19-year-old and he’s devastated,” he said.

“We obviously talked to him and told him he was doing his job.

“He saw an injured player in pain and he acted. That’s what we expect him to do. He’s not from a football background and he thought he was doing the right thing.

“Like I said, he’s devastated. We’re getting around him.’’

Spagnuolo said the trainer was “a good distance’’ from Langlands “but he still ran through the mark’’.

It was a heartbreaking result for the Lions, who had started the last quarter 32 points behind, but rattled on six consecutive goals with the breeze to grab the lead.

Peter McEvoy had a star turn, kicking four goals in the final term.

Spagnuolo said the Coburg coaching box didn’t see the 50m penalty.

“We were watching the set-shot fall short,’’ he said.

Doulton Langlands celebrates a goal with his Sandringham teammates. Picture: Getty Images.

“We all started celebrating and then someone has noticed at the corner of that something has happened.’’

When photographer Dave Savell’s image appeared on social media on Saturday night, former Coburg star Daniel Venditti tweeted: “Surely the umpires need to consider welfare of injured player during those circumstances. Very stiff.’’

Spagnuolo tweeted this morning: “Proud of our boys yesterday. Equally proud of our staff who did their job as we’d expect them to do regardless of the game situation. The umpires were also doing their job, no blame on anyone. Just a real shame we didn’t get the 4 points we fought so hard for. Onto next week.’’

AFL Victoria umpires boss Cam Nash has been contacted for comment.