AFL 2024: Collingwood coach Craig McRae confused by a free kick paid against young Magpie Lachie Sullivan late in Friday night’s draw

Craig McRae was left confused about the late free kick on Friday night. But he was proud of a ‘fighting and scrapping’ Collingwood side that walked away with two points – again.

Brad Elborough

5 min read

May 25, 2024 - 11:17AM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - MAY 24: Players react after the final siren during the round 11 AFL match between Walyalup (the Fremantle Dockers) and Collingwood Magpies at Optus Stadium, on May 24, 2024, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

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Collingwood coach Craig McRae said he was confused by a free kick paid against young Magpie Lachie Sullivan late in Friday night’s draw with Fremantle.

Dockers ruckman Sean Darcy was awarded a free kick close to goal when Sullivan handed the ball to his teammate Nick Daicos, rather than to the umpire who had called for a ball-up.

Rule 18.8.2(e) states that ‘a field umpire shall award a free kick against a player or official who fails to follow the instruction of an umpire’.

It’s something that appears to happen often in games, without penalty. On Friday night, it cost Collingwood the game.

Darcy kicked the goal with six minutes to go, reducing Collingwood’s lead to just 13 points

Collingwood players react after a free kick is awarded to Sean Darcy late on Friday night. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

McRae said that while he’s interested to hear the AFL’s interpretation of the free kick, he’s more than aware that questioning the decision won’t help them.

“I’m looking forward to what the AFL tell us about that,” he said. “Because I wasn’t aware that’s a free kick.

“But maybe, clearly it is, because they don’t pay things that aren’t there.

“It’ll be what it will be. It doesn’t help us, does it?

“I was confused because I actually thought, I was told that he touched the umpire… Nick.

“I was unaware of what actually happened until afterwards.

“And if the umpires comes out, they’ll go oh, that was a mistake, that doesn’t help us either. We’re just moving on.

“We made way more mistakes than the umpires did tonight. I just assume that he’s umpiring to the letter of the law.”

The headlines would be much different if Nick Daicos had actually touched an umpire.

Friday’s draw was Collingwood’s second in five weeks after scores remained level at full-time of the Anzac Day clash against Essendon.

McRae felt they could have walked away with a win against the Bombers. But felt that they were just hanging on against the Dockers.

The Magpies played the last quarter without key forward Mason Cox, who was subbed from the game in the third term with a sore knee and concussion.

Brody Mihocek was also on the bench with another hamstring injury.

Craig McRae said he was proud of the young Magpies line-up. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos

Fremantle fought back from 25 points down with seven minutes to go, to almost pinch the game. Jeremy Sharp sprayed a shot on goal in the final minute that would have given his side the win.

A week earlier, the Magpies scraped over the line against Adelaide by four points, kicking 1.2 to the Crows 3.3 in the final quarter.

McRae said he was proud, considering they had two debutants on the ground and six others who had less than 10-games experience each.

“This would have been one of our best victories for the year, if not for the last couple,” he said.

“If you look at the detail of it, like two weeks in a row where we’ve had our key forwards out of the game.

“So, in the last quarter, don’t have any key forwards. The same thing happened last week (against Adelaide).

“We’re going a makeshift forward line, with no key forwards and we got Ed Allan in his first game playing key forward for us against (Alex) Pearce.

“We’re fighting and scrapping. I’m really proud of that.

“Yeah, we’d like to walk away with a couple more points, but it’s not through a lack of effort.”

Plucky Pies denied ultimate Dockers heist in epic draw

It’s happened again.

Collingwood has played out a second draw in just five weeks, giving up a 25-point lead in the final term to share the points with Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Friday night.

The Dockers kicked four goals in the last six minutes, one courtesy of a controversial free kick to Sean Darcy when Magpies youngster Lachie Sullivan handed the ball to his teammate Nick Daicos instead of the umpire, who had called for a ball-up.

Darcy made no mistake, reducing the margin to just 13 points. Nor did Dockers captain Alex Pearce a few minutes later, who slotted through just his fifth career goal, after Hayden Young got Freo back within seven points.

The Dockers stormed home to take two points. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Dockers winger Jeremy Sharp had a chance to win it for the home side with 45 seconds to go, but sprayed a shot at goal that levelled the score, 11.9 (75) to 10.15 (75).

The tie came at a cost for the Magpies, who lost ruck Mason Cox to a knee injury late in the third term and a hamstring concern for forward Brody Mihocek.

Cox landed hard in a marking contest with Jye Amiss and Darcy Moore late in the third term, his leg bending awkwardly under his body.

After kicking two goals in the third term, Mihocek finished the game on the bench due to a hamstring injury he only returned from for this game.

NEVER A BETTER CHANCE

Fremantle may rue the lost chance to knock off the Pies.

The Dockers were playing at home and were in form, having won three of their previous four games.

And they are almost at full strength, with only Brennan Cox and Michael Frederick missing from their best 22.

Collingwood was missing plenty, arguably five of their starters in Jordan De Goey, Jamie Elliott, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Jeremy Howe, and Tom Mitchell. Dan McStay is also out due to an ACL.

The Magpies had six kids with less than 10 games experience each, along with Ed Allan and Wil Parker debuting.

Harvey Harrison, in just his ninth game, had a big say in the outcome, with three goals.

Collingwood’s youngsters stood tall. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

RESET THE RADAR

The Dockers struggled in front of goal in the two rounds leading to this one.

But for the first half on Friday night, it was Collingwood that couldn’t kick straight.

After leading by one point at quarter-time, Pat Lipinski, Lachie Sullivan and Brody Mihocek all missed gettable opportunities to kick the Magpies further ahead at the start of the second term.

The Dockers kicked the only three goals for that quarter, leading by 13 points at half-time. Collingwood had 3.9 on the board, with only two of those behinds rushed.

In round 9, Fremantle managed just 4.15 in a 48-point loss to Sydney. The Dockers beat St Kilda by 17 points in round 10, but were just as wasteful, kicking 9.18.

They had dominated the start of Friday night’s game, but kept the Magpies in the contest. They by 13 points early, with 3.3 on the board and Jye Amiss missing everything with another shot.

WHAT THE RUCK

Luke Jackson has played most of this season as Fremantle lead ruck.

And he’s excelled, averaging almost 20 touches a game and he’d kicked eight goals before Friday night.

The numbers dried up for him against the Pies though, with Sean Darcy back in the side.

The pair shared the ruck duties against Cox and Darcy Cameron.

Jackson had just four touches in the first half and finished with 11 touches and just two marks.