St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has declared the AFL has “gone too far” in weekly clarification of umpiring mistakes and every club, player and coach should “accept it and move on” regardless of the impact on outcomes.
Lyon’s team benefited from a free kick paid to star forward Max King in last week’s three point win over the Gold Coast, a decision the AFL later said was wrong.
AFL umpires’ boss Stephen McBurney has increased his weekly presence this season in breaking down controversial moments and on Sunday said the free kick against Mac Andrew, which resulted in the matchwinning goal to King, should have been “no call”.
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It was the second time this season the AFL admitted the umpires had made a mistake that could have turned the match after conceding a non-call against Essendon ruckman Sam Draper should have resulted in a free kick in front of goal to Adelaide in a match the Crows lost by three points.
Lyon said he didn’t agree with the AFL pinpointing single free kicks and said weekly vision of his players, including King, being “mauled” was evidence of how much was missed.
“I just don’t understand how we emphasise one free kick and talk about that and the influence on the match,” he said.
“I don’t like that the AFL comes out and clarifies it. I’ve been to big finals and moved on. I just think, why is one free kick more important than another?
“We see Max King getting mauled all the time behind the ball and cuts and edits of our forwards getting mauled and we just ask for clarity and they say ‘we missed that one’ and if there’s one arm around the chest it’s a free kick, it doesn’t need to be two.
“I’m not in agreeance with the AFL trying to come out and rationalise and settle things down. How about there’s a decision made, and we all accept it and move on. I think it’s gone too far.”
In the aftermath of the loss, Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick was fuming with the free kick, labelling it “unwarranted”.
“It’s tough. Those guys are battling all day. I just think the umpire calls it, that’s his job, but unwarranted for mine.
“When two guys are going toe-to-toe, one’s grabbing, the other one’s grabbing, it’s like well, which way do you go?
“He’s probably only looking at one person trying to give away the free kick and it’s the defender, so that’s life.”
Source Agencies
