AFL Geelong v Brisbane: Cats win thriller as ump ‘howler’ proves costly for Lions
It was the non-decision that caused an uproar and now the AFL has had its say on Lion Zac Bailey’s last-minute tackle. Here’s the official line.
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The AFL has confirmed Brisbane were robbed of victory in the dying seconds of Friday night’s game when Geelong defender Mark Blicavs wasn’t penalised for holding the ball.
Blicavs was tackled on the goal line by Brisbane’s Zac Bailey but field umpire Robert O’Gorman called play on with the Cats managing to get the ball across the line.
The siren sounded moments later giving the Cats a one-point victory.
AFL umpires boss Dan Richardson confirmed on Saturday the wrong decision had been made and Bailey should have had a simple shot for goal to win the game.
“The umpire in real time called play-on, upon review we acknowledge that it was a missed free-kick on this occasion,” Richardson said.
“By attempting to evade, the player with the ball had prior opportunity and as a result the call should have been holding the ball.
“Footy is a game full of split second decisions from players, coaches and umpires.
“At any given match umpires are required to make anywhere between 800 and 1000 decisions per game and in this instance we didn’t quite get this one right.
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“It’s a passionate game, we all know that, and I understand how much it means to everyone.”
Richardson refused to say whether O’Gorman would be dropped for next week.
“We will wrap the arms around him and support him, he’s a human and Rob is a great umpire,” he said.
“He understands that we are all human and make mistakes. He is comfortable for us to be addressing it on his behalf today.
“(The missed decision) doesn’t determine the outcome of a game, there are many moments in a game that impact the outcome of a game.”
Blicavs had tried to plead his case after the game although he conceded it was a “bloody good” tackle.
“I didn’t have prior (opportunity). It was tough,” he said on ABC Sport.
“I picked it up and there was pressure all over. I tried to get it through (for a rushed behind) but the tackle was bloody good, but yeah, we’ll say play on.”
The missed decision could have serious ramifications for the Lions who fall to 0-2 and now face Collingwood at the Gabba on Thursday night.
Scott reveals what was said in heated exchange
Geelong coach Chris Scott has downplayed the nature of a quarter-time exchange he shared with Lachie Neale and Brisbane Lions players.
Scott was seen in conversation with the star midfielder and several of the Lions as they made their way to the huddle, and revealed the 2020 Brownlow medalist had raised an incident between him and Gary Rohan.
Cats on-baller Cam Guthrie and skipper Joel Selwood went to Scott to take him away from the Brisbane group, but Scott said there was little in the incident.
Chris Scott vs. the entire Lions team at quarter time! 😮
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 26, 2021
âœï¸ BLOG: https://t.co/ihXwdOxsYh
📱 MATCH CENTRE: https://t.co/kMDcRuV0A0
📺 WATCH @kayosports: https://t.co/qUz45zaIYT#AFLCatsLions pic.twitter.com/DLjBJvcne0
“I was walking on to the ground and Lachie Neale said something about Gary Rohan and I said ‘I am happy to have the conversation with you if you like, I have seen the vision and I am comfortable with it’,” Scott said.
“I suspect he didn’t hear all of that. I think a few of them…they weren’t paying me compliments but I didn’t say anything after that.
“I thought Neale struck Gary on the chest and then Gary struck him on the chest. The vision is clear…I have had a pretty good look at what Gary did and I am comfortable with it.
“(Cam and Joel) said nothing really, just let’s get back into it.”
Neale was well held by Irishman Mark O’Connor all night and finished with just 16 possessions, having had little influence on the contest.
Scott said the decision to put O’Connor in a run-with role on Neale was a sign of the respect the Cats have for the former Fremantle ball magnet and added it was a positive sign his side had overcome the Lions with a host of key outs.
“We hold Lachie Neale in such high regard,” he said.
“We have thought for a while that Mark has the capabilities of playing those sort of roles for us. This was a week where we had a little bit of a thin midfield group…with Menegola going out, Dangerfield going out and Mitch Duncan not being available.
“I thought Mark was good and I thought Charlie Constable was good as well.
“It was good to get over the line against a quality opposition with a few guys in new roles. I think that was exciting for us.”
ROHAN FACES THE HEAT
Scott and Rohan are both set to come under scrutiny after the controversial night at GMHBA Stadium.
As a COVID outbreak in Brisbane threatened the AFL competition, there was plenty of tension on the field with Rohan likely to face time on the sidelines for his behind-the-play hit on Neale.
The spiteful affair between last year’s preliminary finalists ended in extraordinary circumstances with the Cats getting home by one-point after a gallant second-half comeback from the Lions.
Brisbane was left fuming after a free-kick wasn’t paid in the dying seconds against Cats defender Mark Blicavs who appeared to illegally dispose of the ball after a brilliant tackle by Zac Bailey next to the goal line.
"That is a deadset free kick."
— 7AFL (@7AFL) March 26, 2021
BT couldn't believe the decision... pic.twitter.com/MMm6HVHr90
“That was an absolute howler by the umpire (not to pay a free kick),” Lions great and Fox Footy commentator Jonathan Brown said.
But it was Rohan’s swinging right arm in the first quarter which set the tone and will have him in the sights of match review panel officer Michael Christian.
The blow appeared to land more on Neale’s neck but it was strong enough to drop him to the ground.
The Lions star was then captured on camera rubbing his jaw in front of Rohan and putting up three fingers to illustrate the amount of weeks he predicted he’d be suspended for the act of stupidity.
The Geelong forward then left the ground and spent a considerable amount of time in the rooms, before returning to the field late in the quarter.
Lachie Neale and Gary Rohan were involved in an incident in the first quarter.#AFLCatsLionspic.twitter.com/8KY91byy30
— AFL (@AFL) March 26, 2021
Three weeks for Gary Rohan, according to match review officer Lachie Neale. #AFLCatsLions
— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) March 26, 2021
There was plenty of angst about the game from the start with the Cats making a statement about their intentions by using O’Connor on Neale.
He followed the Brownlow medallist everywhere, bumping and harassing the ball magnet which was the catalyst for a number of scuffles throughout the opening half.
A Selwood sling tackle on Lions youngster Tom Berry caused another flare-up but luckily for the Cats skipper there was no impact to the head area, with a potential fine on the cards.
The second quarter also ended in controversy with Rohan taking a mark two metres out but just as he played on the siren sounded, which saw the goal disallowed.
Brisbane players quickly got into the face of Rohan, which led to more push-and-shove with Geelong full-forward Tom Hawkins following the Lions players to their huddle.
These teams have recent history given Geelong ended Brisbane’s 2020 premiership dream on their home turf by comprehensively beating them in the preliminary final by 40 points.
A WELCOME HOMECOMING
It had been 580 days since Geelong last played in front of fans at GMHBA Stadium but the wait was worth it.
The Cats were electric at stages and dour at others, but started superbly – a stark contrast to six days earlier in their shock loss to Adelaide.
However, four straight goals at the start of the last quarter to the Lions had the home scraping to avoid being 0-2 by the end of the night.
Geelong had its chances via Tom Hawkins and Jed Bews deep into the final term, but it was much talked about off-season recruit Isaac Smith – playing just his second game ever at Kardinia Park – who scored the winning goal with a snap on his right boot with just three minutes left.
It followed an oft-times bizarre night, in which a small number of fans were asked to leave at quarter-time due to a positive COVID case in Queensland.
But despite the unusual nature of some of the off-field happenings, on the field both teams showed they will again be difficult to overcome when they play their best football.
BIG SELECTION CALLS
For all of the discussion that will follow from Chris Scott’s actions at quarter-time, it is the decisions he made at the selection table that should be the talking point.
The call to have O’Connor run with Neale proved to be a masterstroke, and the inclusions for the Cats were all ticks.
Jack Henry was solid in defence, Charlie Constable finished with 17 disposals and five inside-50s, Francis Evans kicked two goals on debut and Zach Tuohy was everywhere.
The Irishman was touch-and-go last week and if Scott had his time over he would probably have picked him, but on top of his two first quarter goals he registered 27 possessions, seven inside-50s and a team-high 581 metres gained, in a return to his best.
FUTURE CLOUDED
The immediate futures of Geelong and Brisbane remain unclear but for very different reasons.
Rohan will come under scrutiny for a behind-the-play incident with Neale, while the Cats will be hoping midfielder Mitch Duncan can get through his VFL practice match on Saturday.
The Lions now enter their clash with Collingwood desperate for a win, having started their year with two straight losses.
But whether that match will be moved from the Gabba given the COVID situation in Queensland remains to be seen.
Chris Fagan’s men cannot afford a third defeat and a stay in Melbourne and a game on the Pies turf is hardly the ideal scenario.
But, if they are to take the next step and reach a grand final, it is just the type of challenge it will have to overcome.
O’CONNOR OPENS UP ON NEW ROLE
Born again tagger O’Connor isn’t sure whether he will continue in his new position after quelling the influence of Neale.
O’Connor was told on Wednesday he would be given the job on the star Lion and locked him out of the match early, keeping Neale to just three touches in the first half.
The influence of the ball winner was so reduced that he started the second half on the forward flank, with O’Connor shifting his focus over to Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko.
“(It was) obviously a new experience, the midfield guys were a massive help. They didn’t overload me with too much information,” he said.
“I thought it was going well. I tried to be as physical as I could be in a fair manner. I wasn’t really sure what the midfielders pride themselves on yet.”
O’Connor found the ball in his defensive role, picking up 15 touches and five clearances and a sparkling goal assist with a pinpoint pass to Tom Hawkins in the first term.
Having played a new role, the Irishman was cramping up in the final moments of the thrilling one-point win and said he was on edge when Mark Blicavs was controversially spared of giving away a holding the ball free kick in the final seconds.
O’Connor was close to another pivotal moment of the match, with Smith sending the inexperienced midfielder away from the stoppage that would result in his match winning goal.
“It was funny actually, I was in and around the stoppage and Isaac just pulled me out and told me to go to the back of the stoppage and thankfully it worked out,” he said.
When asked if he would hold his ground next time in a similar situation to have a chance at glory, O’Connor remained the team man.
“(Smith) has proved himself tonight, it was pretty much the winner really wasn’t it so I think I will leave it to him to go again,” O’Connor said.
The narrow win wasn’t Geelong at its best but O’Connor said it would mean plenty going forward.
“(The win) is really important especially after last week, it was a real disappointment last week and especially early in the season it is a real confidence boost,” he said.
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