VFL 2023: ‘Heartbroken’ Frankston falls short against GWS Giants

The Dolphins had an after-the-siren shot to beat the GWS Giants in a VFL classic. Was it a goal? SEE THE VIDEO, and coach Danny Ryan’s comments.

Desperation, confusion, delight, heartbreak.

And that was all in the space of just five seconds at 3.43pm at Frankston Park on Sunday afternoon.

Dolphins player Max Williams took a mark about 45m out with his side trailing GWS Giants by a point.

The siren sounded.

It all rested on Williams’ boot.

His kick after the siren, from 49m, was accurate — but could it clear a bunch of desperate Giants defenders on the goal line?

It was touch and go.

Frankston’s Tom Small and Taine Barlow had desperately tried to shepherd it through and they celebrated as if it was a goal.

But their teammates weren’t so sure; there were more Giants leaping for joy than Dolphins.

There was no celebration from Williams; he was more pensive, hopeful, perhaps knowing he didn’t ‘hit’ the kick as he’d liked.

Several anxious seconds passed as players and spectators watched the goal umpire confer with boundary and field umpires.

In somewhat of an anti-climax, the goal ump simply collected his flags and marched off. It was no score.

GWS Giants had clung on to win by the narrowest of margins, 8.7 (55) to 6.18 (54).

The Dolphins leave the ground disappointed.

It was another dose of despair for Frankston, which has also lost games this season to Carlton by two points and to Williamstown by three points.

“It hurts,” Frankston coach Danny Ryan said.

“The better team lost but didn’t deserve to win.

“That might be a bit brutal but…we should have won that game by four goals.

“When you kick 6.18…”

As for the after-the-siren shot, Ryan had an immediate sense it didn’t quite make it.

“I don’t know, there’s a bit of conjecture already that it was across the line and different camera angles might show some things but I didn’t get the sense,” he said.

“I think he just didn’t make the distance.”

Frankston served it up to the Giants, who led for most of the game but couldn’t shake the Dolphins.

Former Blue and Saint Jack Newnes, in his second game for Frankston, kicked a beauty in the third quarter to give the home side belief.

But Frankston missed several gettable goals in the last quarter that could have sunk the Giants.

Playing his first game for the Dolphins, Somerville ruckman Tom Roberts took several marks in the last term, including one that set up Williams for that last shot.

Max Williams walks off after the game.

Trent Mynott.

Ryan, though, couldn’t hide his frustration.

“We held them to 174 kicks and had 194 ourselves, so we defended the field really well,’’ he said.

“We smashed them in the combo — the contested possessions, tackle and clearance game — we dominated. And we had 50 inside fifties to 39.

“So when you look at all those numbers and just watch it with your eye, that’s why you’d say we were the better team.

“But when you don’t finish your work or you’re having hard shots, you get what you deserve.

You deserve to lose by a point. Heartbroken.’’

Ryan said it wasn’t Williams’ fault.

“I’m thinking he’s going to kick it and we’re going to win because he’s a reasonably good kick for goal and then he doesn’t make the distance,’’ he said.

“He just didn’t hit it well, he got too close to the man on the mark.

“Now, it’s not Max’s fault…Max is a defender that we had to throw forward because some of our babies struggled. They’re a bit tired, it’s getting late in the year.’’

Ryan said Frankston was “screaming out for guys who can take a mark and kick goals’’.

He praised young defender Ryan Jacobs.

“He keeps growing his game, he’s got real speed playing across half back, he’s learning to lower his eyes and not just blast the ball as long as he can,’’ Ryan said.

“And we thought Tom Roberts, the ruckman who came in, his last quarter was outstanding as a big man taking marks long down the line.

“And (Jaxsen) Shinners coming in for his first VFL game, he lacks some polish but he certainly gives you grunt and heart. I thought they were some of the shining lights. And then (Will) Fordham and (Trent) Mynott around the ball were the usual warriors.’’

Frankston 3.3, 4.7, 5.10, 5.18 (54) lt GWS Giants 4.2, 6.4, 7.5, 8.7 (55).

Goals: T Barlow, J Lloyd, T Mynott, J Newnes, B O’Leary, S Quirk.

Top disposals: Mynott 37, Fordham 30, C Riley 29, R Stoddart 26, C Fleeton 25, Newnes 23, J Fahey 22, H Rowston.