It’s the umpiring decision that’s set to be scrutinised for days to come: Was Elliot Yeo’s holding-the-ball free kick the right call?
Yeo led from the front as West Coast launched an extraordinary late comeback against North Melbourne, booting a late goal to help flip a 33-point deficit early in the final term into a slender lead.
But the star midfielder quickly went from elation to heartbreak after being penalised for a controversial free kick with less than three minutes remaining.
Yeo tackled Roos youngster George Wardlaw inside North Melbourne’s attacking 50m arc, only to be immediately claimed by Jy Simpkin after grabbing the ball when it spilled loose.
Eagles players were then left stunned when a holding-the-ball free was paid. Tom Cole pointed at the umpire, while West Coast coach Adam Simpson put his hands on his head in disbelief.
Simpkin went back and calmly slotted the goal to snatch back the lead for the visitors, who held their nerve after that to register their first win of the season with a nine-point triumph.
When asked after the game if the free was there, Simpkin said “yeah, absolutely”.
But Fox Footy analyst Gerard Healy wasn’t so sure.
“That is going to have a fair bit of airplay over the next 48 hours,” Healy said.
“It didn’t seem right to me.”
The umpires were roundly booed by irate Eagles supporters as they walked off the Optus Stadium turf, with the crowd of more than 43,000 upset by the call.
When asked about the flashpoint moment in his post-game press conference, Simpson said: “I can’t comment. But yeah… I can’t comment.”
Former Eagles premiership player Will Schofield said he wasn’t aggrieved by the decision.
“I can see how it’s been paid,” Will Schofield said on Fox Footy.
“My first reaction was it’s probably holding the ball.”
More to come
Source Agencies
