‘Are you f***ing kidding me?’: AFL admits umpire mistake that dudded Adelaide Crows

The AFL has been slammed after conceding umpires missed a huge call that robbed the Adelaide Crows of the chance for a crucial win.

The AFL has admitted umpires missed a crucial free kick in the dying stages of Adelaide’s thrilling two-point loss to Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.

For the second time this season, the Crows lost to the Magpies in a nailbiting contest, going down 82 (12.10) to 80 (11.14).

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But the result could have gone the other way had the umpires paid a free kick for high contact on Jordan Dawson, which would have given the Crows captain a shot on goal after the siren to win it.

With less than 15 seconds remaining, ruckman Reilly O’Brien kicked the ball into Adelaide’s forward 50.

Dawson collected the ball but was immediately smacked in the face by Collingwood’s Jamie Elliot and the ball split away, ending the game.

After the final siren, Dawson was seen walking towards one of the umpires and shouting: “Are you f***ing kidding me?”, pointing to his lip.

Jamie Elliot clips Jordan Dawson across the face. Picture: Fox Footy

Jordan Dawson gestures to the umpire after the siren against Collingwood. Photo: Fox Footy.

O’Brien told Channel 10 on Monday he thought it was “obviously a clear free kick”.

“Dawse had a pretty fat lip with a lot of blood coming out of it post-game, he certainly got some contact,” he said.

Yes - Elliott does make high contact. So a Free kick for high contact would have been the correct decision.

Worth noting I needed slo-mo to notice - as this fan has needed to display it. Ump gets 1 look. #AFLPiesCrowshttps://t.co/vLeywcaiyP

— Has the umpire made A Bad decision? (@hasumpstuffedup) June 25, 2023

The umpires department conceded the free kick was missed because the umpires had a restricted view of the contest that happened at lightning speed.

AFL 360 co-host Mark Robinson was astonished the free kick was missed by four field umpires and cost the Crows the chance for a crucial win in the context of their season.

“This is massive business AFL,” Robinson said.

“We’re going to bring in four umpires. We’re going to strategically put them around the ground. We’re going to put them in the forward 50.

“Four umpires saw that! Four umpires were looking and not one person called it as a high. They can’t have all been obstructed. It doesn’t wash with me.

“Great move by Dawson, he gets clipped across the head and not umpire saw it. Matthew Nicks is a calm person. I would have been going berserk.

“It’s too big of a game of football for four umpires to miss one free kick like that.”

Jordan Dawson would have fancied his chances to win the game with a kick after the siren. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks told Fox Footy’s On The Couch: “It’s the luck of the game.

“It’s a tough game to play, it’s a tough game to umpire. That’s probably not paid nine times out 10 during the year.”

But the Crows have reason to feel hard done by, given they sit in a vulnerable spot in eighth on the ladder when a victory would have solidified their finals hopes.

The Crows also inquired about an Izak Rankine goal that was ruled touched by the goal umpire, a 50m penalty for impeding a player that led to a Nick Daicos goal when Brody Mihocek wasn’t penalised for blocking Wayne Milera earlier.