Fans slam controversial calls in thrilling Brisbane vs Western Bulldogs final

The semi-final between the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane had a trilling finish but fans weren’t happy with the standard of umpiring.

Bulldogs defender Caleb Daniel will player against the Lions. (Photo by Steve Bell/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

AFL fans have slammed the umpiring of the Western Bulldogs’ thrilling one-point win over Brisbane in their semi-final on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs edged ahead in the final minute of the game thanks to a scrappy behind from Laitham Vandermeer and they managed to hold on to record an epic 11.13 (79) to 11.12 (78) victory.

Watch every 2021 Toyota AFL Finals Series match before Grand Final. Live & Ad-Break Free on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >

But viewers were angered by several controversial calls late in the game as both teams traded blows and battled for the lead.

They were outraged when Bulldogs defender Caleb Daniel was ruled to have deliberately kicked the ball out of bounds in the dying minutes of the game, when he desperately soccered the ball out of mid-air in an effort to gain territory.

The decision gave Brisbane’s Lachie Neale a shot for goal but he could only manage a behind.

The deliberate out of bounds call against Caleb Daniel was controversial to say the least. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Fans were furious at the umpire for making a call that could have unfairly cost the Dogs the game.

Incredible stuff. Just hope this is won by pure skill rather than some ridiculous umpiring howler. #AFLLionsDogs

— Rory Flanagan (@Rory_Flanagan) September 4, 2021

Whatever is in the dictionary for “deliberate”… that’s the exact opposite #AFLLionsDogs

— Peter Hooley (@PeterHooley12) September 4, 2021

That deliberate against Caleb Daniel...

Bloody hell.

Mid-air hack off the side of the boot. #afllionsdogs

— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) September 4, 2021

THAT IS INSANITY!!!

He’s tried a mid air kick that’s gone off the side of his boot and been pinged for deliberate!!! #AFL#AFLLionsDogs

— Liam Flanagan (@ljflannas) September 4, 2021

How is that deliberate? #AFLLionsDogs

— Martin Pakula 💉💉 (@MartinPakulaMP) September 4, 2021

The rule isn't "deliberate" it's "insufficient intent to keep it in".

Still fair to argue it was wrong but it's not about being "deliberate".

— Max Laughton (@maxlaughton) September 4, 2021

The Bulldogs were awarded a contentious down-field free kick with just minutes remaining when a Brisbane player was ruled to have brought a Bulldog to ground when it appeared like a fair scuffle.

There was another controversial call when Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli looked to have kicked a goal that would have cut Brisbane’s lead to just six points early in the last quarter.

But the umpires decided to review the decision and ruled it was a behind after Darcy Gardiner claimed to have touched the ball off the boot.

However, fans weren’t convinced there was conclusive evidence to overturn the goal umpire’s initial decision based on the camera angles.

You can't be overturning that goal in a final... or any game, really. #AFLLionsDogs#AFLFinals

— Nic Negrepontis (@NicNegrepontis) September 4, 2021

Was that enough evidence to overturn that? Unsure. HUGE CALL #AFLLionsDogs

— Steph Chiocci (@Steph_Chiocci) September 4, 2021

Don’t know how there was enough evidence to overturn that…

— Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) September 4, 2021

The Lions copped their fair share of contentious umpiring calls as well.

Alex Keath was gifted a chance for the Bulldogs from 20 metres out after receiving a 50-metre penalty, missed his set shot.

And two bizarre free kicks against the Brisbane gifted Jason Johannisen another on the three-quarter time siren but he missed to the right-hand side.

Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli was on the end of a contentious umpiring call. (Photo by Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Bulldogs fans had their hearts in their mouths again when the umpires checked if Johannisen’s kick for goal had grazed the post, but the goal stood.

The Dogs will be sweating on the fitness of their skipper Bontempelli after he landed awkwardly late in the game and looked to have suffered a potential knee injury.

He spent the last few minutes of the game on the bench in discomfort but reassured fans he should be fit to take on Port Adelaide next weekend.

“Yeah, should be all right,” Bontempelli told Channel 7 after the game.

“Initial tests and what not are pretty good. Just landed quite awkwardly.

“I was a bit ginger initially out there so rather than limp around out there, probably (the) right thing was just to interchange.”

The Bulldogs will go into their preliminary final against the Power as underdogs and will have to win four consecutive finals games away from home if they are to replicate their 2016 premiership victory.