Michael Walters the hero as Freo stuns Collingwood but focus centres on ‘missed’ touched goal

Michael Walters was the hero but the AFL is looking into how its score review system failed in dramatic fashion, helping Fremantle snatch an upset win over Collingwood after a touched Freo shot at goal went undetected.

Michael Walters celebrates a goal. Pic: AAP

Fremantle has stunned Collingwood at the MCG but the AFL is looking into how its goal review system failed in dramatic fashion, with a clear touched ball allowed to stand as a goal in a decision that proved costly for Collingwood.

The Magpies lost to Fremantle by four points at the MCG, 11.13 (79) to 11.9 (75), after a Michael Walters major in the final 30 seconds of the game sailed through the big sticks. But it was Walters’ third-quarter goal that was the centre of controversy post-match.

Michael Walters has done it again! He kicks a set shot goal at the death to give the Dockers the win! pic.twitter.com/mp08BjkMrO

— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) June 1, 2019

Walters was awarded that goal despite replays later showing the ball had been touched off his boot by Collingwood’s Chris Mayne, who told the Herald Sun after the game he “definitely touched it”.

Umpires ticked off the goal originally, with the ball heading back to the centre bounce.

SCROLL DOWN FOR CHRIS CAVANAGH’S MATCH REPORT

SCORES, SUPERCOACH: WALTERS BREAKS MAGPIE HEARTS

The goal review system – which is supposed to overturn any wrong decisions before the ball is bounced to restart play – appeared to focus on whether Steele Sidebottom had touched the ball on the goal-line, which he clearly had not.

However, Mayne had touched the ball in the pack with the little finger on his left hand bending back on replays, a fact seemingly overlooked initially.

Chris Mayne’s old team had the last laugh. Pic: Getty Images

“I definitely touched it, yeah,” he said.

“So I was a bit shocked. Even Jesse Hogan was saying it was touched, funnily enough. But there’s moments that come and go. In the end, they were good enough to keep going for harder and longer.

“I felt like it hit all five of my fingers but that’s footy. Decisions come and go but you just move on to the next moment.”

“If it takes an extra three seconds to get the decision right, that is the whole reason why we have the score review in place.

“The Collingwood players were adamant. All their hands went in the air. That’s generally a pretty good guide. They are using commonsense at the moment apparently with umpiring across the code, so why wouldn’t we use it or apply it in this score review sense.”

Jordan De Goey booted three goals and was lively in attack. Pic: AAP

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said he could not fathom how the touched ball slipped through the cracks of the score review system.

“There didn’t seem to be a thorough review of it, so the umpires were either really clear that it wasn’t touched or it wasn’t looked at externally,” Buckley said.

“I’m not sure why it wasn’t looked at closer.”

FREMANTLE 3.3 4.4 8.10 11.13 (79) def COLLINGWOOD 3.3 6.5 8.6 11.9 (75)

Goals: Fremantle: B Hill 2 B Matera 2 J Hogan 2 M Walters 2 E Hughes E Langdon R Lobb

Collingwood: J de Goey 3 B Reid 2 S Pendlebury 2 D Beams J Stephenson J Thomas W Hoskin-Elliott

Best: Fremantle: Fyfe, Hill, Walters, Wilson, Blakey, Lobb, Langdon

Collingwood: Pendlebury, Howe, Maynard, Crisp, Grundy, De Goey

Umpires: Simon Meredith, Craig Fleer, Alex Whetton

Official Crowd: 41,774 at MCG

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S VOTES:

3: Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)

2: Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)

1: Brad Hill (Fremantle)

MATCH REPORT: WALTERS THE HERO

Michael Walters, take a bow.

For the second week in row, the Fremantle ace handed his side the four points off his own boot and broke Collingwood hearts in the process at the MCG.

But Magpie fans could be forgiven for believing they were robbed, with yet another chapter written in the checkered history of the goal review system.

This time, it was not a behind after the siren for Walters but rather a goal with 27 seconds left on the clock which gave the Dockers a four-point lead in a see-sawing affair and ultimately saw Collingwood’s seven-game winning streak snapped.

A dour first-half which produced only 10 goals and an abundance of skill errors in perfect conditions was turned on its head after the main break in what finished an exciting affair with three major momentum swings.

A disgruntled Pies fans talks to the umpires after loss. Pic: Getty Images

Dockers coach Ross Lyon was laughing like a jolly clown in the coaches’ box during the third quarter after his side piled on five unanswered goals against a Collingwood outfit it had not beaten at the MCG since 2006 to open up a 15-point advantage approaching time-on.

But it wasn’t long before Lyon’s smile was turned upside down into a frown.

At the 20-minute-mark of the third term, star key defender Alex Pearce limped off the ground with a left ankle complaint and did not return.

Then, in the final 10 minutes before three-quarter-time, the Magpies put on two unanswered goals - and were a split second off kicking a third through Ben Reid if not for an untimely siren as he was still putting boot to ball.

The crowd of 41,774 – which had felt like half that given the dull atmosphere early – had suddenly awoken.

Steele Sidebottom and the Pies let it slip. Pic: AAP

Goals to skipper Scott Pendlebury – a workhorse all day – and Reid in the opening five minutes of the final term suddenly had the Magpies eight points in front.

And 20 minutes later, Collingwood still clung on to a two-point advantage.

But it was Lyon and the Dockers who had the last laugh, a mongrel torpedo from Nat Fyfe landing in the arms of Walters 35m from goal on a slight angle, who went back and slotted the final, deciding, goal of the game.

It wasn’t daylight robbery, for the Dockers controlled much of the game and won inside-50s 56-45, clearances 35-34, contested possessions 158-143 and tackles 58-51.

However, that did not make the final-minute heartache any less painful for Magpies fans.