Mark of the Year winner Peter Bosustow says finals should count after Isaac Heeney’s huge grab against GWS

A Carlton great who won the AFL’s Goal of the Year during finals has urged the league to reconsider its stance that finals acts will not be taken into account after Isaac Heeney and Jeremy Cameron’s heroics.

Carlton high flyer Peter Bosustow has called for the AFL to include finals in its goal and mark of the year after it emerged he kicked his 1981 Goal of the Year during that season’s finals campaign.

The Blues 141-gamer won the official mark and goal of the year prizes in the 1981 season and over 40 years later he is still remembered for that incredible feat.

Incredibly, Isaac Heeney could be denied the mark and goal of the year, Brownlow Medal and AFL Coaches Award through quirks of fate this year despite claims to them all.

He was not able to overturn a one-week suspension but could poll the most Brownlow votes, was rested in round 24 and lost the Coaches MVP by five votes and his heroics against GWS hauled Sydney over the line.

His mark over Jack Buckley is not eligible for the mark of the year because it was in September, while his 70-metre bomb to tie scores was not as eye-catching as Jeremy Cameron’s left-foot snap but just as important.

Bosustow told the Herald Sun from Perth that it was obvious the finals should be included in the awards.

FOUND AFTER 40 YEARS !

The entire broadcast of Richmond v Carlton - 1982 Commonwealth Games exhibition.

Which means, we can finally witness Peter Bosustow's towering mark. pic.twitter.com/W9kW0H8UQN

— Rhett Bartlett (@rhettrospective) August 31, 2022

“I won the goal of the year in the second semi final of 1981, so it must have changed in the time since then,” he said.

“The Heeney mark should be the mark of the year. It’s one of the greatest marks I have ever seen. It was an incredible mark and I don’t give out accolades easily after my mark and (Alex) Jesaulenko’s mark (in the 1970 Grand Final)”.

“It’s called the goal of the year, which means it should be the whole year. It has my tick of approval for the whole year. I wouldn’t have been eligible this year.

“Those awards do stand out and I am pretty humble, but people are still talking about it 45 years later.”

Peter Bosustow’s huge mark from 1981.

AFL: CAMERON, HEENEY HEROICS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR AWARDS

— Josh Barnes

The AFL has no interest in changing the mark or goal of the year criteria to include finals despite extraordinary efforts from Isaac Heeney and Jeremy Cameron on the first weekend of September.

Heeney’s spectacular hanging screamer over GWS defender Jack Buckley on Saturday one-upped Cameron’s incredible left-foot snap on Thursday night.

But neither can win the mark or goal of the year, as the award is for home-and-away matches only.

The AFL opened public voting on both awards last week, after deciding on three finalists each.

Given the winner of the award is announced on Brownlow Medal night and voting takes place during September, opening it up to include finals would cause logistic issues as to when it is presented to the winners.

And having the award take place during the regular season gives every player the same chance to provide the highlight of the year and claim the prize money, which was first revealed by the Herald Sun in June.

Jeremy Cameron let the crowd know after his incredible goal. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos

Sponsored by NAB, the winner of the goal award will be given $50,000 and $10,000 will be presented to the junior club of that player.

Virgin Australia sponsors the mark, with the winning player also handed $50,000 plus 2m rewards points.

The AFL has stood by the award being solely for the home-and-away season and has not discussed changing that this year.

As part of the league’s annual review of the game, a change to the awards may be discussed but there were no plans to specifically review them this off-season.

A number of recent finals moments would have heavily factored into the awards, such as memorable goals from Stephen Hill (2013 qualifying final), Lewis Jetta (2012 preliminary final) and Justin Westhoff (2013 semi-final).

Former Kangaroo Aaron Edwards took an all-time classic grab in a 2007 elimination final but Melbourne’s Michael Newton won that award that year instead.

St Kilda’s Brendon Goddard also took an iconic screamer late in the final term of the 2010 drawn grand final.

Aaron Edwards took this all-timer in the 2007 elimination final.

Sydney goalsneak Tom Papley said the AFL needed to change the rules to fit in finals moments.

“We’ve got to change that rule, Jeremy Cameron kicked goal of the year in finals and then Isaac Heeney’s taken mark of the year,” he told 3AW on Saturday.

Richmond great Matthew Richardson told Channel 7 it was “nonsense” Heeney’s mark couldn’t win him $50,000.

“The season is not over until grand final day,” he said.

If Heeney was eligible he would be competing against Collingwood pair Bobby Hill and Jamie Elliott, plus North Melbourne draftee Zane Duursma.

The goal of the year finalists include two majors from Nick Daicos and a Harley Reid snag, which would have faced stiff competition from Cameron.