AFL backs umpire’s decision not to pay 50m to Dustin Martin late in Richmond’s narrow loss to GWS

THE AFL has delivered its verdict on the non-50 metre penalty paid to Dustin Martin in Richmond’s loss to GWS and it seems standing the mark is more complicated than we thought. WATCH THE VIDEO

Should Dustin Martin have received 50m for this?

THE AFL umpires boss has supported the decision not to pay a 50m penalty to Richmond’s Dustin Martin late in Saturday’s heartbreaking loss to the Giants.

TV footage indicates Giant Jeremy Cameron went over his mark to smother Martin’s kick for goal.

But Peter Schwab on Monday night supported the umpire’s decision.

WATCH THE INCIDENT IN THE VIDEO ABOVE. DID JEREMY CAMERON GO OVER THE MARK? HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW

Schwab said the umpire erred by not calling play-on but in any case, argued Cameron did not cross the line of the mark.

In a complex explanation, Schwab said: “The umpire should’ve called play-on quicker.

“But there’s a couple of things involved, one was in that part of the ground, which was the last third of the ground, the actual bloke on the mark doesn’t have to go east-west. He can go off on a line tangent.’’

Asked why, Schwab said.

“Because of the way you line them up for goal. It’s two-thirds east-west when you are defending and when you come into your attacking third and you’re lined up with the middle of the goal, you can go on that arc.

“And what also said was the player had a half a metre from the mark — he (Cameron) started behind it.

NARROW LOSS: DID THIS NON-50 CALL COST RICHMOND THE GAME?

PODCAST: ‘IT’S JUST A SET UP FOR DISASTER’

DAMIEN HARDWICK: WE SHOULD HAVE WON

RELATED: ONLY RICHMOND COULD OUT-RICHMOND RICHMOND

SOUL CRUSHERS: WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF ‘RICHMONDY’

“What also happened is (Shaun) Grigg decided to come in.

“The umpire said Cameron was still on the arc line and didn’t come over the line.

“You have to argue: ‘Did the player go over the line?’ I don’t think he did if you look at the line.’’

Should Dustin Martin have received 50m for this?

While he defended that decision, Schwab said the decision against Jack Riewoldt for in the back at three-quarter time a week earlier against Fremantle was wrong, which cost Richmond a goal and arguably the game.

If Martin received a 50m penalty on Saturday, it also would’ve gone a long way to guaranteeing Richmond the win.

Schwab, meanwhile, said jumper punches, such as the one delivered by Ben Cunnington to Bernie Vince, should trigger a free kick.

He said the Cunnington incident was missed by the umpire and the Kangaroos’s free kick should’ve been reversed for “prohibitive contact”.