AFL tighten goal reviews after controversy at Swans v Kangaroos

The AFL appeared to tighten up its score review system during Richmond’s thrashing of Fremantle yesterday.

North Melbourne’s Billy Hartung celebrates kicking a goal as Jarrad McVeigh of the Swans appeals for a touch at the SCG on Saturday night. Picture: Getty Images

The AFL appeared to tighten its score review system during Richmond’s thrashing of Fremantle yesterday following a controversial North Melbourne goal at the SCG on Saturday night.

The incident was in the final stages of the first quarter in a match that went down to the wire, with the Kangaroos winning in an upset by two points.

North Melbourne’s Billy Hartung was awarded a goal but video appeared to show a lunging Jarrad McVeigh getting fingertips to the ball off the boot.

The Sydney veteran claimed he touched the ball, but there was some debate that the umpires bounced the ball to restart play without the fourth umpire reviewing the score.

All goals are supposed to be reviewed by the umpire in the stands even if the field or goal umpires do not request further scrutiny.

There was another incident where there appeared to be no ­review after a goal from Hawthorn midfielder Tom Mitchell on or just after the three-quarter time siren in the victory over Essendon.

The AFL said on its website yesterday there was not enough “definitive evidence” to overturn the Hartung goal, adding that it had also ticked off Mitchell’s goal.

The league claimed score ­review officials looked at both incidents before play was restarted.

“There was not enough definitive evidence to overrule and change the decision in time before the restart of play, so the original decision stood,” the AFL said.

The league had recently ­advised officials not to take too long — 20 to 30 seconds — in ­reviewing scores following several long delays in the early rounds of the season.

This followed criticism from premiership coach Damien Hardwick after the Tigers’ defeat of Collingwood last week.

He was bemused by several decisions during the victory, noting: “We’re looking at fingernails, for god’s sake. I can’t understand it. It takes too long. It destroys the ­momentum of the game. People are perplexed.”

However, the fourth umpire yesterday seemed to be more diligent in reviewing decisions before play was restarted.

In the second term at the MCG, the football was twice recalled from the centre square after long reviews of “goals” kicked by Dustin Martin and Josh Caddy found both were touched.

Hardwick appeared disbelieving, with footage showing him holding his head in his hands at one stage, though both reviews appeared correct.

Asked about this after the game, Hardwick replied: “You got my correspondence on that last week. Not much has changed.”

Swans coach John Longmire said: “Someone told me he touched it, is that right or not? If he touched it he touched it, that’s what the review’s for I would’ve thought, but anyway.”

North coach Brad Scott said: “They review every goal before the ball bounces for the next centre bounce. I’d be staggered if they didn’t look at it. I was about 250m away, I didn’t see and I didn’t look at the review. I can’t control it so we just move on to the next thing that we’re looking at. We don’t get caught up looking at replays and becoming third and fourth ­umpires.”

The Hartung goal proved costly for Sydney, but it was two crucial kicking errors deep in defence by the Swans that proved the ­difference.

McVeigh and Callum Sinclair gifted North two easy goals — in their tally of nine — with wayward kicks that found opponents who then kicked truly.

Without Buddy Franklin for a second straight week, Sydney kicked their lowest score of the season (9.12).

The small-­forward structure that was instrumental in their come-from-behind win against ­Geelong at Geelong a week earlier failed against North, with the ­exception of Will Hayward and his three goals.

“Just have a look at our front half,” Longmire said.

“We’re trying to come up with ways to kick a winning score, and last week in the last quarter we were able to. But if you drop away in any part of the game, every little part of your game gets exposed. We understand that, but you’ve still got to find a way to score. That’s the reality of it.”

Franklin, who booted 18 goals in the first five rounds, appears highly likely to return from his bruised heel for Friday night’s clash with Hawthorn at the MCG.

The Swans have lost their past three games to the Hawks, and all by six points or fewer.