The theatrical dive of North Melbourne’s Lindsay Thomas didn’t escape the attention of the AFL’s match-review panel.
The panel released its weekly findings on Monday and deemed no further action would be taken against the small forward.
Thomas received a free kick during the third quarter of Saturday night’s game at Etihad Stadium after he was pushed in the back by Geelong’s defender James Kelly.
“A free kick was paid at the time for a hands-in-the-back infringement, which has been judged by the umpiring department to be a correct decision,” the AFL said in a statement.
“It was the view of the panel that while Thomas propelled himself forward after the initial contact by Kelly, there had been contact to his back. No further action was taken.”
Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall likened Thomas’ performance to something from the Commonwealth Games.
Dunstall told FoxFooty’s “On The Couch” program on Monday night: “He nearly got a medal in the long jump. He certainly made the sand pit.”
Staging is a reportable offence but Thomas is in the clear.
Coach Brad Scott isn’t happy, however.
Scott said after Saturday’s game that he would speak to Thomas about the need to stop staging for free kicks.
“We don’t condone it and he’s got to stop doing it,” Scott said.
“I wasn’t happy with that. Whether it was a free kick or not, just play the ball, mark the ball.
“If you get infringed the umpire will pay it. We’ve worked on that and he’s improved over the last three, four, five years in that stuff.
“I’ve said to Lindsay, ‘If you keep doing that the umpires will assume you’re doing it all of the time even when it is a free kick’.
“So I’ll speak to him about that again.”
mattyb
Guest
'Please illustrate one player wiped out for weeks by a single trip'. Peter Foster from footscray.tripped by Paul dear with his leg.missed the rest of the season,might have played a couple of games the following season but was never the same again.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
Can McKernan have his Brownlow now?
Cat
Roar Guru
My biggest worry is he'll just do something stupid against Freo and get more weeks than if he had missed the Freo game.
Balthazar
Guest
Fair enough really. tried to say that in another comment but it seems today my comments are all delayed or changed by moderators. Lucky in a sense though that the tribunal have it in for him and for Ballas
Cat
Roar Guru
Tribunal rules negligible force ... free to play.
Cat
Roar Guru
The carry over points is what gets me, if a player accepts a suspension they should have no carry over points, they've done their time, not to mention the ridiculous early plea discount that is applied twice to carry over points (once the first citing, and again the 2nd).
Balthazar
Guest
I think this is true. Gibbs' thuggish elbow on Ballas was worse, IMO. But Johnson and Ballas both put themselves in a position where their reputation runs ahead of them at the tribunal
Cat
Roar Guru
if it was someone else the MRP would have probably ruled it force below ...
Kev
Guest
The fact that we have a system in the AFL where it is possible for a player to be cited for an incident that on its own, isn't severe enough to warrant a suspension, tipped over into suspension territory by carry over points, is a problem in itself. Only time a past record should come into it is if that player has been charged and suspended. That is, a 2 week ban becomes 3 weeks.
Ash of Geelong
Guest
True Johnsons kneeing was graded as low impact but it was graded reckless which is 2 activation points plus the other two so 125 demerit points and with a early plea a reprimand end of story everyone happy but Johnson a serial offender it was his record that cost him weeks.
Michael huston
Guest
Must be frustrating Gene. Bloke should have a Brownlow by now.
Cat
Roar Guru
I’m a North supporter and I’m fed up with Thomas and his diving antics in the same way I’m fed up with Adam “the protected species” Goodes and his incessant staging for free kicks. I'll join you on both of those and raise you a Stevie J.
Kev
Guest
Fussball has form. And a terrible case of an inferiority complex when it comes to soccer
Kev
Guest
Who says it doesn't happen in the AFL? I'm a North supporter and I'm fed up with Thomas and his diving antics in the same way I'm fed up with Adam "the protected species" Goodes and his incessant staging for free kicks. You're the last person who should be whinging about keeping ones head in the sand about the sport they follow considering your vitriolic responses to anyone who denigrates soccer.
Cat
Roar Guru
Here's my advice back to you: Fußball ist langweilig wie Scheiße don't expect logic or a sensible argument when you are here to troll with the usual code war rubbish.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Now we're going in circles. I've never said there was no diving in Football. My advice to you is simply: "Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother's eye."
Pope Paul vii
Guest
I've always thought the bump is perfect for soccer. Sought out the penalty pullers.
Pope Paul vii
Guest
Ha that's tops Gene
Cat
Roar Guru
Is it this type of contact you are referring to fuss? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QBPGXJE86I
Cat
Roar Guru
well if the AFL ever need a training video of how not to umpire an AFL game properly they can just replay that game, in its entirety.