GDFNL 2025: Belmont Lions’ one-point win over Bell Post Hill under review

A GDFNL finals hopeful has called on the league to overturn a heartbreaking loss on Saturday, after replay video reportedly revealed an incorrectly awarded score.

Belmont assistant coach Matthew Waters speaks to Lions’ players at three-quarter time. Picture : Mark Wilson

A score discrepancy in Belmont Lions’ reported one-point win over Bell Post Hill has seen the Panthers call for a league review in a bid to overturn the round 14 result.

The Panthers confirmed on Monday morning they had made a request to the GDFNL to look into the error, which saw the PlayHQ result – 19.7 (121) to 18.12 (120) – differ to the replay and statistics later provided by Premier Data, which went in favour of the Panthers, 18.7 (115) to 18.11 (119).

League president Neville Whitley confirmed they’d received the request and were working closely with AFL Victoria and umpires on Monday, including whether there was breadth in their rules to overturn a result.

He said it was the first time the league had faced this issue.

Bell Post Hill coach Ash Witney speaks to his team at three-quarter time during Saturday’s clash with Belmont Lions. Picture: Mark Wilson

It’s understood the main point of contention is a goal registered to the Lions’ tally when Bell Post Hill milestone man Caleb Bacely kicked his first goal midway through the second quarter, but not taken off when the goal was then correctly registered to the Panthers.

It appears PlayHQ’s play-by-play breakdown has that extra Lions’ goal – registered under Lions’ forward Ben McPherson – tacked on at the end of the first quarter with the timestamp – though the second quarter only ran for 37 minutes.

Meanwhile, the goal which put the Belmont seven points up late in the game was also disputed on the day by players to have touched the post, though the six points was ultimately awarded by the goal umpire.

The one-point loss to the Lions resulted in the Panthers dropping out of the top 5 in favour of Inverleigh – who won their clash against North Geelong – with four rounds to play.

The review comes almost a year after the Bellarine league faced a similar controversy in Barwon Heads’ narrow four-point win over Queenscliff in round 17.

After reviewing match footage, the Coutas claimed a Barwon Heads’ goal was incorrectly awarded instead of a behind in the second quarter – a statement backed up by Premier Data’s result.

However, an AFL Barwon review eventually determined the Seagulls’ controversial win over the Coutas would stand, though encouraged clubs or umpires to raise their concerns within the game in the future.

Earlier: ‘We won’t stop’: Lions’ path clear at top after spoiling Panthers’ party

Belmont Lions spoiled the party for Bell Post Hill and Caleb Bacely in the most heartbreaking of fashions – a one-point thriller going the way of the ladder-leaders on Saturday.

It felt like the Panthers to lose at three-quarter time, their dominant third term putting them 18 points up, before Bacely – in his 250th game – kicked the first of the fourth, swooping on advantage paid to snap through an open goal face and take off down the pocket in roaring celebration.

Belmont’s Daniel Brockett chases Bell Post Hill’s Caleb Bacely. Picture: Mark Wilson

Belmont’s Benjamin Evans (middle) goes up for a contested mark as Bell Post Hill defender Beau McNamara attempts to spoil. Picture: Mark Wilson

But with the Lions boasting what was the dominant scoring end at their home ground, they were sure to come calling, as spearhead Ben Evans got off the leash with two-lead up marks to convert, before majors to Brad Michell and Jesse Stapleton saw last year’s grand finalists hit the lead at the 21-minute mark.

An ridiculous snap from Evans from the right pocket somehow found its way through, and put the Lions up by seven with five minutes to play – but with the second and third quarters both exceeding 35 minutes, many were left to wonder just how much time the Panthers had left to play with.

A brilliant mark on the goal line from Nick Costello gave the Panthers a real sniff, the forward snapping truly to get it back to one point, though the Lions won the next centre clearance and a final Panthers attack was picked off by Lion Charlie Steel as the buzzer sounded, with the Lions ahead 19.7 (121) to 18.12 (120).

Goals galore in high-scoring affair

For the neutrals, an impressive spectacle belied the day’s slippery conditions – a combined 37 goals on offer and many of those coming from eye-catching individual efforts.

For the Lions, the win was an important show of resilience, coming off a home loss to Thomson a fortnight ago.

Belmont’s Andy Wylie (left) impressed in his first game since round 7, as Bell Post Hill’s Tom Bryans applies pressure. Picture: Mark Wilson

It seemed they might have been destined for a similar result, the Panthers pouncing early just as the Tigers did.

Looking by far the better team in the first with their contest work and pressure, the Panthers capitalised through the likes of Josh Norman (five goals) and Tim Barton (three), while a Dylan Godwin hangar drew the awe of the crowd.

Again the Lions’ coaching staff put it on their players to respond at the source, which they did, as Andy Wylie went to work forward with four first-half goals in his first game back in two months.

“He’s a great player, and to have him back, it’s a bit of class,” Lions’ co-coach Brent Vermeulen said.

Belmont’s Lachlan Slorach gets the handball off under pressure from Bell Post Hill’s Andrew Casey. Picture: Mark Wilson

Lachlan Slorach’s return also proved crucial – Slorach with a similar length stint on the sidelines to Wylie – as the defender mopped up plenty of the Panthers’ inside 50 forays.

“To have him back is second-to-none … he’s a hard player to play against,” Vermeulen said.

Belmont’s Bradley Michell tries to smother Bell Post Hill’s Dylan Godwin kick. Picture: Mark Wilson

The Panthers found their way back in the third, though would be wishing they’d converted another one or two of their chances, kicking 8.7 for the quarter to the Lions’ more efficient 4.0.

Vermeulen, who has recommitted as coach alongside his counterpart Andy Walsgott until the end of 2027, was pleased with his side’s show of resilience after falling away to Thomson a fortnight ago.

“Against Thomson, we went away from how we had been playing so it’s good to get back on the winners list and play the way we really want to play at this ground,” Vermeulen said.

With the win – and several fortune results across the league – putting the Lions two games clear at the top with four to play, Vermeulen said his team wouldn’t “stop”.

“We want to finish on top at the end of the day, so we’re going to keep working and trying to win games,” he said.

GDFNL Belmont v Bell Post Hill Football. Bell Post Hill 250 games 11 Caleb Bacely is shouldered off by teammates Picture: Mark Wilson

Bacely a ‘leader of men’

It was a bittersweet note to end Bacely’s 250th match on, the loss also seeing the Panthers drop outside the top 5 on percentage.

But the result wasn’t through a lack of trying on the veteran’s part, his class both forward and behind the ball on show, while he finished with two goals – the first drawing hall his teammates up the ground to celebrate with him.

Panthers coach Ash Witney said Bacely would go down as one of the best to pull on a Panthers’ jumper – the six-time premiership gun playing all but two of his seasons at Myers Reserve.

“I think he said a couple of times when he’s spoken to people, he’s grown up from a boy, from a teenager to an adult to a father (at Bell Post Hill),” Witney said.

“He’s huge at the football club, very well respected.

“I love coaching him, I feel privileged that I’ve played with him and get to coach him as well.

“We’re disappointed we couldn’t do the work and get the job done for him today.”

Witney said Bacely could hold his head high with his performance on Saturday.

“He led from the front,” he said.

“He does all the right things, he always has and continues to do it.

“He’s a leader of men too, so the boys follow him as well, the young kids.

“He’ll leave a legacy here for sure.”

Originally published as GDFNL 2025: Belmont Lions’ one-point win over Bell Post Hill under review