Let's clear one thing up.

[Tredz]

I think this is the correct assessment. Clearly not a free kick based on the way the new interpretation is worded but you still see Selwood, Shuey and whoever else paid multiple frees like that each and every week so this wasn't some kind of one off interpretation.

That being the case - if we were smart we would adjust accordingly.

 

[Kingfish73]

He had a stinker. Boak, Ryder, Wines, Wingard, Polec all below par. Gray didn't dominate. It was a credit to our less heralded players that we got so close.

Yep. Westhoff was only guy who played well. Boak and Wingard made many crucial mistakes. Wtf is up with chads kicking for goal now?

No free kick. But like most have said, should not have been in that position if we iced our chances

 

[*PAF]

It clearly wasn't a free. The umpires will admit their mistake during the week.

The tackle was fair and Shuey shrugged to make it high, that's exactly what the new interpretation is supposed to ignore.

There's no real debate in that, it is fact.

However, it doesn't matter. I aint mad at the last call. I'm mad at our inability to take all our chances when they did take theirs.

Am I allowed to change my vote now that I've seen that?

 

[El_Scorcho]

It's so hard to spot though. When a campaigner like Sicily or McLean throws his head back in the tackle you can clearly see it from 100 metres away, but the subtlety of what Shuey did would be near impossible to pick up with a split second decision. It's easy for us to watch a slow motion replay and call out the mistake, but I must admit that my first impression at the ground is that the free was 100% there. I can understand why the umpire thought the same, even if with the benefit of hindsight he was incorrect.

Does anyone feel like we would have got it at the other end of the ground though in the same situation?

We'd have spent a week hearing about how Gray/Wingard is a ducker etc etc etc.

Selwood continues to employ the tactic to set records with free kicks for, everyone agrees it shouldn't be a free and yet it continues to get paid like that.

They need to dramatically change the high tackle interpretation so that if a tackle slips up and there is no forceful contact above the shoulders, it's play on. The scourge of ducking and diving is something that has burrowed it's way into every team in the league and it's shit and everyone hates it and it's not actually protecting anybody.

 

[Peck]

Does anyone feel like we would have got it at the other end of the ground though in the same situation?

We'd have spent a week hearing about how Gray/Wingard is a ducker etc etc etc.

Selwood continues to employ the tactic to set records with free kicks for, everyone agrees it shouldn't be a free and yet it continues to get paid like that.

They need to dramatically change the high tackle interpretation so that if a tackle slips up and there is no forceful contact above the shoulders, it's play on. The scourge of ducking and diving is something that has burrowed it's way into every team in the league and it's shit and everyone hates it and it's not actually protecting anybody.

Yep you can't really blame Selwood for doing it, and it could lead to serious health issues for him in the future. The AFL have a responsibility to put a stop to it.

 

[Peck]

After seeing it again it ABSOLUTELY wasn't there. He has turned into the contact after pushing the arm high, even selwood doesn't get those ones.

Whoever paid that free should have umpired their last game. Disgraceful decision for the dying moments of a final.

 

[B0ydmoan]

Bullshit. He lifted his arm to initiate the high contact. Clear as day. Stop trying to be magnanimous.

Exactly. Our interpretation of this is irrelevant

By the RULES of the game, it is play on

 

[B0ydmoan]

They specificly said they wouldn't pay this kind of free this year but they pay it every week.

Coach bends over to umpires and thanks them for reaming us = you get what you deserve 50/50 calls.

"Stick it right here boys"

 

[B0ydmoan]

Question of comparable?

It's the 5th ashes test, 2-all, we were up 2-nil but bad luck etc

They are 9/261 in the 4th innings chasing 262 to win, it's the last ball of the 90th over and series . Last pair partnership is 30 and we've dropped 3 catches in the test including one an over ago

Its a widish ball but Their batsman swings and snicks it. Keeper takes it they scamper for a single while we celebrate then we throw it to the bowler who fumbles the throw for the run out, regathers the ball breaks the stumps but the batter now makes his ground by a centimeter. Umpire has also called a wide.....in a test match no less. 2 runs awarded and we lose the game, test, and series.

Replay shows thick edge on snicko and hot-spot but it's too late we left the field of play

Who is to blame? Bowler? Keeper? The guy who dropped the catches. The openers in the first innings? Or,

HOW ABOUT JUST A REALLY SHIT CALL?

This was Jason Gillespie getting nailed for gloving it, when he didn't

 

[TeeKray]

That being the case - if we were smart we would adjust accordingly.

There's nothing much you can do because the high contact is initiated by the tackler not the guy making the tackle. That's the hard bit.

One thing that I would like to see with these incidents is a good old fashioned 'make them earn it' approach. If you want to play like that then fine. But be prepared for the ensuing headlock and slam into the turf before you get up to take your kick.

 

[Janus]

Never a free kick in a million years. In that moment, the ONLY free kick that should have been paid was a blatant head high tackle that started high. The umpires needed to be absolutely sure it was an infringement. But no, one of these ****ing campaigners decides that he wants to be the deciding factor in such a close game.

Who the **** wants a game like that decided by a ****ing umpire?

This, coupled with the Kennedy 'goal' that Howard claimed was touched and according to the guys on Triple M after the game was CLEARLY touched but because they didn't have enough time to go through all the angles due to not being asked to do an official review before the game was restarted in the first final that went to extra time...let's just say when Richmond win the flag, I'm not going to be in the least bit surprised.

And for Ken to back track on his 'shrug of a free kick' comment when it was the perfect response to that atrocious bit of officiating just shows how much power the AFL wield in situations like this.

 

[Forzaport]

I really really really don't care if it was a free kick or not. We have far bigger issues, philosophies & personnel that need changing

 

[JAlexG]

Pretty much everyone around Polec after that tackle were screaming at the umpire that he shrugged it.
Look at his knee in that picture. Mind was made up, he played for the high contact.

 

[Seanybruz]

If Gray was in that same position at Subi he'd get told to suck a bag of succulent dicks.

That's the bit that shits me.

In reverse we never get that free kick.

Sam Gray had his head clear torn off in our forward line earlier on in our comeback but nothing, he didn't crouch & manipulate a free kick in what was apparently supposed to be a rule they were cracking down on (the Selwood rule).

I don't like Jordan Lewis or Derm but they were 100% correct in their post match analysis, to have that call decide an epic final is heartbreaking.

 

[El Zorro]

How punchable is this face?

View attachment 412009

But I am so looking forward to posting it in the crows forum if they lose on Thursday! Hopefully he punches someone before kicking the winning goal after the siren, off a dodgy free-kick.

Well, Karma is a bitch!

 

[Kingfish73]

After seeing it again it ABSOLUTELY wasn't there. He has turned into the contact after pushing the arm high, even selwood doesn't get those ones.

Whoever paid that free should have umpired their last game. Disgraceful decision for the dying moments of a final.

We wont complain. Be nice to afl is our culture

 

[NEGAN]

If polec wasnt so shit at defending probably wouldn't of mattered.

But I

Don't blame him for the tackle
Don't blame the umpires for what happened

 

[Pt Augusta Power]

Just drained myself to watch it again. Several times - clearly not a free.

Any west coast supporter who complains about Selwood getting high frees is full of shit.

No free, play on. Every day of the week.

He forced contact high.

The only reason I watched it again is because my 8 year old kid said 'that wasn't a free, he lifted his arm'.

An 8 year old ffs.

But in the end, we didn't capitalise and put ourselves in a position where a bullshit free could decide the game.

2 goals 4 in extra time to 3 straight. That is the game right there.

 

[philthy05]

It clearly wasn't a free. The umpires will admit their mistake during the week.

The tackle was fair and Shuey shrugged to make it high, that's exactly what the new interpretation is supposed to ignore.

There's no real debate in that, it is fact.

However, it doesn't matter. I aint mad at the last call. I'm mad at our inability to take all our chances when they did take theirs.

Yep.

The umpires have come out and stated unequivocally that a properly laid tackle that becomes high after action by the tackled player will be play on.

That is exactly what has been said.

Polec clearly lays a correct tackle , that then slides up the shoulder after shuey raises his arm and drops his knees.

You can also see that Polec immediately releases the tackle and never even goes over the shoulder lol. Is released at the point.

This is not remotely subjective. The wording of the rules as the league stated are clear and without doubt.

Polecs tackle is not subjective. It was clearly laid correctly and not high initially

Shuey does indeed lift his arm and drop his knees.


It is absolutely the wrong decision , and it cost us the game.



Of course there is the argument that we should have kicked straight , made better decisions with the ball , made something of our 3 and a bit qtrs of dominance etc that would have meant one umpiring mistake only closes a gap instead of robbing us of the game. But that is a separate issue. Neither cancels each other out.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

ABC Offsiders panel unanimous that it wasn't a free kick. Shuey lifted the arm to initiate high contact. Gerard said Shuey is the pin up boy for that free and even suggested umpires could tell the West Coast coach that Shuey will not get frees for high contact unless he stops doing it.

 

[Pt Augusta Power]

Never a free kick in a million years. In that moment, the ONLY free kick that should have been paid was a blatant head high tackle that started high. The umpires needed to be absolutely sure it was an infringement. But no, one of these ******* campaigners decides that he wants to be the deciding factor in such a close game.

Who the **** wants a game like that decided by a ******* umpire?

This, coupled with the Kennedy 'goal' that Howard claimed was touched and according to the guys on Triple M after the game was CLEARLY touched but because they didn't have enough time to go through all the angles due to not being asked to do an official review before the game was restarted in the first final that went to extra time...let's just say when Richmond win the flag, I'm not going to be in the least bit surprised.

And for Ken to back track on his 'shrug of a free kick' comment when it was the perfect response to that atrocious bit of officiating just shows how much power the AFL wield in situations like this.

How the Kennedy goal didn't get officially reviewed is beyond levels of incompetence.

 

[philthy05]

Does anyone feel like we would have got it at the other end of the ground though in the same situation?

We'd have spent a week hearing about how Gray/Wingard is a ducker etc etc etc.

Selwood continues to employ the tactic to set records with free kicks for, everyone agrees it shouldn't be a free and yet it continues to get paid like that.

They need to dramatically change the high tackle interpretation so that if a tackle slips up and there is no forceful contact above the shoulders, it's play on. The scourge of ducking and diving is something that has burrowed it's way into every team in the league and it's shit and everyone hates it and it's not actually protecting anybody.

The game now is at a point where umpiring decisions in games are bigger momentum changes then big marks or goals. Even in games where it's not a real game decider like ours was you see frees for head high contact absolutely swing momentum in the favour of the duckers team.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I really really really don't care if it was a free kick or not. We have far bigger issues, philosophies & personnel that need changing

Really what is the point of this comment in a thread specifically about whether you thought it was a free kick? People want to discuss it and until this morning I hadn't seen a replay so wanted to see opinions on this. There are many threads where you can blame everything but the free kick.

 

[powermacs]

What was with that ruck infringement that got them a shot at goal? Did we not nominate a ruck?

 

[Prison bar Pete]

I've now been convinced: changed my vote from correct to incorrect