Umpires miss out-of-bounds call, leading directly to Fremantle goal

You could almost hear Brian Taylor screaming out in exasperation over this controversial call but the umpires were having none of it.

Michael Walters chases a ball out of bounds during Gather Round 2023 against the Gold Coast Suns.

You could almost hear Brian Taylor screaming his now-famous line “that was out of bounds!”, but the umpires in charge at Norwood Oval for the Gather Round match-up between Fremantle and Gold Coast weren’t having a bar of it.

As Michael Walters chased a ball over the boundary line deep in Fremantle’s forward 50 late in the first quarter, the ball bounced over the line in what would normally be called a boundary throw-in.

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However, the boundary umpire evidently either deemed the ball to have not fully crossed the line, or otherwise missed it entirely, and it paved the way for an easy centring ball into the grateful arms of Lachie Schultz, who kicked his first of the contest to put Fremantle up by 14 points.

Was it out or not?

Either way, you've got to play to the whistle.

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Darcy Macpherson was the chasing Gold Coast defender, and gave up on the play entirely, evidently assuming the out-of-bounds call was patently obvious.

Mark Howard on Triple M radio commentary was incredulous.

“Darcy Macpherson has just stopped!” he exclaimed.

Commentators calling the game on Fox Footy were equally critical of Macpherson not playing to the whistle, with Alistair Lynch saying it was the “half-second” Michael Walters needed to create the space.

Jack Lukosius belts one from 60 metres out. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The internet was ablaze at the non-decision, with race driver Brenton Griguol saying “we need more umpires. That was out of bounds.”

Twitter account Americans Watching the Footy said: “I can hear BT,” in reference to Brian Taylor’s now-famous call of a contentious out-of-bounds call in 2015, where Hawthorn’s Jarryd Roughead ran the ball out and barely made an attempt to pretend to hold the ball in, with the non-decision leading to an easy goal for Liam Shiels.

“That was out of bounds, that was out of bounds, that was out of bounds,” Taylor said at the time in commentary.

It would prove to be critical for the Dockers, with the Suns snatching back the lead not long afterwards and running up a score at the half, leading 9.7 (61) to Fremantle 6.2 (38).

From the centre square and into the breeze.

Lukosius fears no kick at goal.

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Young gun Jack Lukosius led the way for the Suns, opening his account with a monster 60m set shot from inside the centre square to mark the first top-level goal scored on the historic Norwood Oval.

Fox Footy’s David King described Lukosius’ performance as “unbelievable”.

“He’s had 13 disposals, 11 of those became scores,” King said.

“He’s working harder than his individual matchup, he’s had 9 inside 50s and scored four times himself.

“He’s causing all sorts of problems (for Fremantle).

“If you let Jack Lukosius do as he pleases, you’re in trouble.”

Norwood became the 47th venue to host an AFL/VFL game on Friday afternoon, with its unique dimensions and picturesque setting a novelty for footy fans who have travelled from all over the country to witness a fully-sold out Gather Round.