Geelong coach Dan Lowther calls for change to AFLW review process after Georgie Prespakis goal howler

Geelong’s coach believes change is necessary in the AFLW to ensure howlers like Georgie Prespakis’ controversial behind don’t happen again.

Geelong coach Dan Lowther believes the score review process must change in the AFLW to eliminate umpiring howlers like Georgie Prespakis’ controversial behind.

The AFL ruled on Monday that Prespakis’ shot in Saturday’s clash with the Western Bulldogs should have been a goal instead of a behind, leaving players and coaches from both sides bemused.

The AFLW doesn’t have access to the AFL Review Centre that is present in the men’s competition, but Lowther believes there must be some form of process in place to check goal line calls.

While it didn’t cost the Cats in their comfortable victory, Lowther fears an incident like Prespakis’ could occur in a final.

Georgie Prespakis was denied a goal against the Western Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images

“Those errors are going to happen and I know there is no perfect solution in the game in the AFLW space with the grounds being so inconsistent in terms of available technology,” Lowther said.

“We’d like to see some process in place where there is an opportunity to check. All games are Foxtel and they show the replay so maybe there needs to be a bit of a pause or a bit of officiating just to double check things.

“Because it may have an impact late in the season in a final where those type of errors – which are human errors, we are all human so we are not blaming anyone for it _ but if it could right the ship in some way that’d be a step in the right direction.

“We all thought it was a goal on game day, there’s been plenty of conversation in the media about how the opposition also thought it was a goal.”

Lowther said that Prespakis’ dominant round one display, where she registered 34 disposals, 11 tackles and 10 clearances, was a sign of things to come and a credit to her dedication over the off-season.

He wouldn’t buy into talk that she could follow in her sister Maddy’s lead and take out this year league best-and-fairest, but said any team success would trump individual accolades for her.

“I reckon she has already gone to another level,” Lowther said.

“She is so driven to make sure that the whole team gets success and she is another one. I’m really proud of the group in their pre pre-season and she has dedicated her off-season to getting better and preparing the best way she can and finding new ways to improve.

“Round one was hopefully just scratching the surface for her and teams are going to put work into her clearly but we’ve got enough depth in that space to support her.

“If she gets great individual accolades at the end of the year that’s fabulous and if that happens I’m sure the team will have pretty successful season as well off the back of that.“

Originally published as Geelong coach Dan Lowther calls for change to AFLW review process after Georgie Prespakis goal howler