Fremantle players were left stunned by a costly umpire howler in Sunday’s 28-point AFL loss to North Melbourne at a rain-drenched Optus Stadium.
The Dockers were a chance of pulling off a come-from-behind victory when Michael Walters kicked a goal-of-the-year contender to close the margin to three points at the 11-minute mark of the final term.
But just minutes later Fremantle’s momentum was brought to a crashing halt by a controversial goal to Shaun Atley.
Dockers defender Joel Hamling should have been paid a free kick after being tackled to the ground without the ball by Ben Jacobs.
But with no free kick given, Atley was able to swoop on the loose ball and shoot truly from 35m out.
Dockers players were left shocked by the non-decision, with Atley’s major sparking a run of four straight goals that secured the 12.14 (86) to 8.10 (58) win in front of 37,575 fans.
Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands might miss a week after being heavily concussed in a clash of heads with Sam Durdin in the final quarter.
Durdin also left the field looking groggy, while teammate Kayne Turner copped a heavy hit to the head earlier in the match.
Spearhead Jarrad Waite stood tall in the wet with three goals – including two at crucial points of the third quarter.
Fremantle skipper Nat Fyfe (31 disposals, one goal) and Ben Jacobs (29 disposals, one goal) enjoyed an intriguing battle.
Sunday’s result improves North Melbourne’s record to 6-4, while Fremantle (4-6) face a major challenge to work their way back into finals calculations.
The Kangaroos were left kicking themselves after a wasteful opening quarter, with the visitors registering six behinds in the opening six minutes before finishing the period with 1.8 (14) to their name.
Fremantle made the most of their limited forays forward to lead by eight points at quarter time, with Fyfe influential.
North Melbourne’s score moved to 1.10 early in the second quarter before they finally found their range, with three straight goals propelling them into the lead.
The third quarter was a wet-weather arm wrestle as the rain started to pour down, with Fremantle’s defence put under the pump for long periods.
Waite’s third goal extended North’s lead to 15 points early in the final quarter, before Fremantle made their move.
A long goal from Michael Johnson and a piece of brilliance from Walters closed the gap to just three points.
Walters soccered the ball forward with a dinky chip to create space for himself, before following it up with another soccer that went through for a goal.
But Atley’s controversial goal halted Fremantle’s momentum, and proved to be the turning point.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
Hilarious! Thanks, Aligee, I was feeling a bit flat and a big belly laugh was just what I needed. "According to Hagdorn..." ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Fanciful? I dare say if it's a head clash with Sandi, he's made some effort to get low :D . What the umpire probably saw was a fair bump, the head clash would've been too hard to discern in real time. The new interpretation from the AFL is that accidental head clashes aren't a reportable offence, where a legal bump has been applied.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
That wasn't my question or the point. Of course reducing behaviours to pure zero tends to minimise the odds of those behaviours resulting in a negative consequence, although it doesn't fit that well with the way humans work What was interesting to me was whether other teams were experiencing a lower threshold in their forward line for the umpires reversing a kick. This wasn't about the weekend per se, but a trend of them I've noticed over the past year or so. To me, with the impact it has, a kick reversal in those circumstances is a huge penalty, arguably much more significant than a 50m penalty. So it would follow that there should be significant and clear reasons for turning it over, not some minimal pushing or brush of an arm high.
Don Freo
Guest
That would explain Hagdorn's rumour. Suma might have done a bit of undermining. Probably why he left Woosha at the Eagles and probably why no club is entertaining him as a possibility. It's obvious you are not a Ross fan. That's the case with all his critics. All 5 of you.
Aligee
Guest
Therefore Don, he is getting closer to a correct prediction. Dont knock sitting in a TAB, i do it regularly ( to my pockets detriment usually) and it is amazing the diverse range of opinions you will hear about everything. I am not and have never been a Lyon fan regardless of the current gossip, give Suma a go, BTW you will see Suma in a TAB.
Don Freo
Guest
You are citing Kim Hagdorn? List his last 20 predictions. All wrong. It is his opinion...not even gossip. No one in the know in WA clubs give any information to him. He just sits in TABs and listens to punters.
Aligee
Guest
Plenty going on behind the scenes according to one Kim Hagdorn. i really dont think Lyon will last the year at this rate. I just wonder what a positive attack oriented coach would do for Freo
Don Freo
Guest
You are...you're. Do you intend that statement as an affirmation or a criticism? I'd suggest that the kind of brain that generated your comment, would mean it as an affirmation.
Maurice
Guest
Your on drugs
Don Freo
Guest
Looking forward to the physical presence and speed of Logue, the strength of Apeness and the class of Bennell. The Hill and Tabs. Freo did well against North, they did well against WC. Using their work against these strong teams as a guide, and condidering the talent beginning to come back, things are all on the up.
Don Freo
Guest
Stephen, that did not cost a goal and change the game's momentum.
Don Freo
Guest
Nah, the ump is the right target. It cost Freo a premiership.
Stephen
Guest
I think the wisest thing is................. If you have a shot at goal, don't give the Umps any reason to reverse it. Especially a flimsy reason. I think it is best to be annoyed with your player if it happens rather than the Ump.
Stephen
Guest
Just looking at the still on this very page, I cannot see any sign that Sandilands tried to get low at all. I think that suggestion is fanciful. The North player did not see him coming and Sandilands iniated the contact made contact to Durdin's Head, never mind that he hurt himself in the process, it is still high contact and a free kick.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
On the subject of umpires, has anyone noticed their team getting any higher than expected kick reversals over the past year or so? Freo has had at least 4 in the past year, all of them in the forward line, most from marks and all for the most flimsy of reasons. Is it some sort of intention from the AFL or what?
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
I thought it looks more like more an accidental head clash than collecting him high in an initial sense. It actually looks as though Sandilands tried to get as low as possible in the bump, which probably made the clash of heads more likely as he was less balanced.
Bogdan Kanacheeny
Guest
Can anyone explain or did i miss it?
Stephen
Guest
Justin, you are critical of umpiring but you neglect to say that the Umps missed and obvious free when Sandilands bumped and collected him high, necessitating Durdin leaving the ground. Calls go both ways, you know.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
North are an upper echelon team at the present moment and obviously could take it right up to any team in the competition and beat everybody on any given day. You could easily put them in the same bracket as WC structurally, skillset and experience.
Rooboy
Guest
I detect sarcasm. Nevertheless, we are taking it a week at a time, and no doubt a future opponent will benefit from an umpire's bad call such as fail to notice "nineteen on the ground" (from the one team that is, for example.