‘Has this ever happened?’: Cheeky ‘rascal’ act stuns AFL

The AFL has heralded the return of the “rascal” after a Geelong star was caught doing a very cheeky act that is sure to get him fined.

The AFL “rascal” is well and truly back, thanks to some shenanigans in the first half of Saturday night’s clash between Geelong and St Kilda.

Both teams would be hoping to make finals this year and just three goals were scored in a hardfought first quarter at GMHBA Stadium.

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Geelong took the lead in the second term thanks to two brilliant Jeremy Cameron goals from the forward pocket.

St Kilda stayed in the contest but ruckman Rowan Marshall’s boot somehow slipped off his right foot and he spent several minutes playing with just one boot on.

As Marshall tried to get the umpire’s attention about his stray boot, Geelong’s Gryan Miers scooped it off the turf and tossed it in the complete opposite direction of the boundary throw-in.

The umpire noticed straight away and paused the play to allow Marshall to put his boot back on.

“Stop, stop, stop,” the umpire said.

Gryan Miers throws Rowan Marshall's boot away. Photo: Fox Footy.

Gryan Miers, we see you. Photo: Fox Footy.

“Bring the shoe back and throw the ball in. Rowan, give the ball to the boundary umpire and you can put your shoe on, OK.”

Asked why the play was stopped, he said: “Because the Geelong player threw the shoe away.”

Geelong champion Joel Selwood said on Channel 7: “Has this ever happened before?”

Luke Darcy added: “You always see something you’ve never seen before in a game of footy. I didn’t understand that rule. In fairness to Gryan Miers, that’s a hazard, ‘I’ll get it out of the way’.”

Selwood and Hamish McLachlan said Miers could expect to cop a fine from the AFL for his troubles.

“Who knows, he might end up with the money bag being a little bit lighter throughout the week,” Selwood said. “I’m not sure what the rule is.”

McLachlan joked: “How’d you spend your money this week? ‘Well I moved a shoe out of the way and got fined $5000’.”

Rowan Marshall was playing with one boot on.

Western Bulldogs legend Bob Murphy joked on social media Miers’ boot shenanigans was typical “rascal” behaviour.

“A rascal super storm at GMHBA,” Murphy wrote on X.

CODE Sports’ Daniel Cherny joked “Messi would’ve never”, referencing a fake tweet comparing Miers to Argentina’s football superstar Lionel Messi.

Geelong led 6.7 (43) to 4.6 (30) at halftime in their first game of the season and held on in the second half to claim the victory.

The Cats withstood a St Kilda fightback in the final quarter to win 10.16 (76) to 9.14 (68).

The Saints have lost their last 12 matches at Geelong’s home ground.