AFL legend Garry Lyon blasts ARC after Dan Butler’s buzzer-beater

Melbourne great Garry Lyon did not mince his words when the umpires opted not to review Dan Butler’s contentious buzzer-beater.

Dan Butler's late goal against Richmond.

Melbourne great Garry Lyon has taken aim at the Score Review system after St Kilda forward Dan Butler’s buzzer-beater against the Richmond Tigers during Friday evening’s semi-final.

Richmond dominated the opening quarter at Metricon Stadium, and were leading by 23 points moments before quarter-time.

With less than five seconds remaining on the clock, Jarryn Geary fumbled a relatively-simple mark in the offensive 50, which spilt onto the turf.

Saints teammate Max King then handballed the Sherrin towards Butler, who snapped the footy through the posts from 15 metres out on his left foot.

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As the Saints celebrated the late goal, Richmond’s players immediately queried with the umpires whether the siren had already sounded.

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick was also seen fuming from his viewing box.

Dan Butler didn't have a millisecond to spare 😮#AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/Zzu4hUvGzQ

— AFL (@AFL) October 9, 2020

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But as the umpire explained to Dylan Grimes: “I didn’t hear it before the kick … it’s a goal.

“The emergency (umpire) that was closest to the siren said goal.

“The rule is when we first hear it, which I think was just after he kicked it.”

Channel 7 commentator James Brayshaw elaborated: “Umpires talking about the fact they didn’t hear it. That’s all that matters. The umpire has got to hear the siren for the quarter to end.”

However, Lyon was less than impressed with the outcome, and said on AFL Nation: “Are you saying that we stop the game during quarters for the score review, yet we aren’t going to review that goal? That is archaic nonsense. Please!

“We leave these stupid little unresolved issues open and they bite in a final.

“We stop a game for three minutes to work out the slightest touch of a post and we’re happy to recall that, yet in half a second we can tell you whether it was kicked before or after a siren, but no, we’re not doing that. I mean, please.”

Several viewers from home also shared their opinion on the contentious goal.

Whoever is on the siren button, obviously dozed off for a few seconds then. Hilarious that something like that can happen in this day and age of modern sport. #afltigerssaints

— Matt Tarrant (@MattTarrant) October 9, 2020

Like most I suspect, I just rewound and counted down w the clock. Siren seemed a full second later than it should have been? Won’t matter#AFLTigersSaints #AFLFinals

— Ben Broad (@Ben_Broad) October 9, 2020

READ MORE: Saints robbed by ‘embarrassing’ blunder

Regardless, Richmond continued their goalscoring onslaught in the second half, and took a 31-point lead when players returned to the sheds at halftime.

The defending premiers couldn’t seem to miss on the Gold Coast, with young gun Shai Bolton slotting third goals in the one-sided contest.

The Age reporter Daniel Cherny tweeted: “St Kilda’s defending has been poor, not scrapping enough.”

Richmond were leading 12.8 (80) to 6.13 (49) when the final siren sounded, and will take on Port Adelaide in next weekend’s preliminary final.