Controversy as goal umpire misses clear Essendon goal in narrow win over Gold Coast
The AFL has acknowledged its goal umpire made a blue over a controversial non-goal that almost cost Essendon, which had to overcome a plucky Gold Coast to boost its finals prospects.
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The AFL has admitted a clear umpiring error over David Zaharakis’s non-goal on the Gold Coast.
But the league has ruled its video reviewer correctly used the new Edge techology to adjudicate a contested Jordan Dawson goal for Sydney against Geelong.
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Dawson’s shot at goal appeared to ricochet off the goalpost and there was speculation the league did not have access to its Edge technology at the SCG.
Jordan Dawson had all the moves, and after the goal review went with umpire's call, a goal was awarded to the Swans. #AFLSwansCats pic.twitter.com/Fh0WyLce3H
— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) July 28, 2019
In fact, Edge was used and uncovered no spike, the video reviewer referring the decision back to the umpire, who had called a goal.
The Zaharakis incident was a clear umpire error and not a problem with the score review.
But the league will investigate whether its bunker system could avert that catastrophe by indicating to the field umpire if the ball has crossed the line only seconds after play-on is called.
A second mistake occurred in the Port Adelaide v GWS game when the goal umpire believed Tom Clurey had taken the ball across the goal-line. The umpire called for a video review, which found the ball had not crossed the line, and the ball was bounced at the top of the goalsquare, with the ensuing play resulting in a Jeremy Cameron goal.
The AFL has ruled that the goal umpire should have allowed play to continue but, given the goal review, the field umpire had no choice but to throw the ball up.
WOOSHA PERPLEXED BY GOAL-LINE BLUNDER
Essendon coach John Worsfold says he is perplexed by the latest goal-line blunder, which could have cost the Bombers the match to last-placed Gold Coast last night.
David Zaharakis’ set shot at the six-minute mark of the third term was clearly over the line at Metricon Stadium before Sun Chris Burgess knocked the ball back into play.
After the Suns booted five goals in a row between the first and second quarters, things looked bleak for the Bombers. But they bounced back with six in a row in the third term to take an eight-point lead into the final break.
It could have been seven, after Zaharakis’ set shot around the six-minute mark of the third sailed through without the goal umpire or field umpire realising and play-on called.
There was some suggestion a goal review had been called for, but none was undertaken and no score was registered as Sun Jack Lukosius stormed out of defence with the footy.
Both the goal umpire and the field umpire can call a review in that instance, if they believe there is doubt. In this situation, play would be stopped to allow for the review to be done.
The incident will be part of the AFL’s review into the match tomorrow.
“My only understanding from that is that the umpire believed it stayed in and it’s just play on,” Worsfold said.
“He didn’t call for a review because he was clear on what he saw.
“If the umpire’s made an error — I’m not sure where the rules stand around stopping the game to review something when it’s play on.
“If the ball crossed the line, it’s an error and there’s nothing we can do about it and on we go.”
The Bombers surrendered the lead late in the final term and were two points behind with less than a minute left in the match.
But an ice cool Cale Hooker slid through a set shot from 50m and then best afield Jake Stringer ripped it out of the guts and booted a long goal from the centre square that bounced through to seal the victory 15.6 (96) to 16.10 (106).
Zaharakis said of the goal line blunder it would have been interesting if the Dons weren’t able to hold on.
“If we had have lost by two points, it would have been good,” Zaharakis said on Fox Footy after the match.
“I’m sure we might get an apology on Monday, so it’ll be interesting to see what goes out.
“I thought, when I kicked it, it went through and then you hear the crowd reaction and you look up at the scoreboard, so it’s an interesting one that, I guess, they’re going to have to have a look at.”
Hooker said the Dons “Got out of jail”.
“Gold Coast, credit to them, really brought their intensity today and played a really good brand of footy and we sort of got ahead and we let them back in,” Hooker said.
“It was disappointing, but it was nice to get over the line in the end.
“We’ve got to keep improving the way we play, because they way we’re playing at the moment, we’re getting wins, but it’s very patchy, so we’ve got a lot to work on.”
Defeat, the Suns’ 14th in a row, was harsh on the hosts who thought they might have secured a massive upset when Chris Burgess scored with two and half minutes to play to put Gold Coast ahead.
Along with Stringer, Shaun McKernan kicked four goals while Mitch Brown had three for the Bombers.
Dylan Shiel kicked a crucial goal in the third quarter and picked up 28 disposals while Zach Merrett (27 disposals) was also busy for the visitors. Ben King kicked a career-best four goals while Suns co-captain Jarrod Witts was outstanding with 60 hitouts.
Sam Day, on the back of his new contract extension, booted three goals while Brayden Fiorini and Peter Wright had two majors each in the Suns’ highest score of 2019.
Essendon host Port Adelaide next weekend while Gold Coast are away against Collingwood.
SICK STRING
Worsfold praised Stringer’s brilliant performance in the face of adversity, saying the gun utility had been in doubt due to illness until the day before the game.
“We weren’t actually planning to use him in there as much but circumstances were that we felt we needed to put him in there,” Worsfold said.
“Credit to him to fight through it because really up until yesterday morning I was checking on him to make sure he was good enough to play today.
“He really performed well.”
Stringer went into the guts after half time and turned the game for the Dons. All 15 of his disposals were quality and they resulted in four goals, including the sealer.
Play on? 🤔 #AFLSunsDons https://t.co/1Yg0uj7rYz
— SuperFooty (AFL) (@superfooty) July 28, 2019
GREATS SLAM BLUNDER
Western Bulldogs great Brad Johnson said the goal umpire had made a genuine mistake.
“He couldn’t even call a behind because the ball was tapped back into the play so he wasn’t calling for a touched behind or anything because he considered the ball to be probably right on that line, so play on,” Johnson said on Fox Footy.
“In his mind he’s like ‘no, this is play on’. It’s unfortunately messy.”
Lions legend Alastair Lynch agreed.
“He’s thought it’s stayed in play,” Lynch said.
He’s in perfect position, so a mistake’s been in made, but if he felt it’s actually in play, he feels he’s made the right call, he can’t review it.”
Former Lion Brent Staker said on AFL Nation the goal umpire had made a huge mistake.
“The goal umpire should’ve made a call and then asked for a review, that was a bad blunder as the ball crossed the line for a goal for the Bombers,” Staker said.
In last night’s clash between Port Adelaide and GWS, umpires actually stopped play for a score review after Port defender Tom Clurey stepped over the goal line in between goal and point posts.
The umpire believed it should have been a behind, but Clurey protested and a score review showed the ball had not crossed the line.
Under AFL rules, the field umpire had to restart play with a ball-up at the top of the goalsquare — and the resumption led to Giant Jeremy Cameron snapping a goal.
Port coach Ken Hinkley was not happy after the Power lost by one point.
“And now we have got score review. Whether it works for you or works against you, you almost can’t win,’’ Hinkley said.
Adding to the rough weekend for the goal umpires and score reviewers, the AFL’s vaunted ‘The Edge’ technology appeared to fail to pick up a kick that hit the post from Swan Jordan Dawson in his side’s loss to the Cats today.
Jordan Dawson had all the moves, and after the goal review went with umpire's call, a goal was awarded to the Swans. #AFLSwansCats pic.twitter.com/Fh0WyLce3H
— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) July 28, 2019
SCOREBOARD
GOLD COAST 4.2 7.3 9.6 15.6 (96)
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ESSENDON 2.6 4.5 10.8 16.10 (106)
GOALS
Suns: King 4, Day 3, Wright 2, Fiorini 2, Sexton, Miller, Swallow, Burgess
Bombers: McKernan 4, Stringer 4, Brown 3, Parish, Shiel, Langford, McGrath, Hooker
BEST
Suns: Witts, Miller, Fiorini, Harbrow, King, Hanley
Bombers: Stringer, McKernan, Shiel, Redman, Merrett, McGrath
VOTES
3 — Jake Stringer (Essendon)
2 — Jarrod Witts (Gold Coast)
1 — Shaun McKernan (Essendon)
INJURIES
Suns: Nil
Bombers: Nil
Reports: Harbrow (Gold Coast) reported for rough conduct on Guelfi (Essendon) in the second quarter
Umpires: Chamberlain, Findlay, Heffernan
Official crowd: 15,759 at Metricon Stadium
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