The AFL will have some answering to do after an extremely contentious umpiring call against Adelaide in the Showdown clash against Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
Thankfully for the Crows, the free kick wasn’t a factor in the result as they kicked the last six goals of the game in a dominant fourth quarter to cruise to a 18.9 (117) to 13.8 (86) victory.
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But back in the first quarter, the umpires left the AFL world completely baffled by a brutal holding the ball decision.
The Crows were leading 25-19 when Adelaide’s Lachie Sholl floated back in defence to take an intercept mark.
Sholl looked to move the ball quickly and took half a step off his mark, only for Port Adelaide’s Sam Powell-Pepper to swoop in behind and tackle him to the ground.
Even through Powell-Pepper was strictly within the 5m protected zone for a player who has taken a mark, the umpire deemed Sholl had played on and paid a holding the ball free kick to Powell-Pepper.
He went back and slotted the goal from directly in front, levelling the scores and shifting the momentum back towards the Power.
AFL fans couldn’t believe their eyes, arguing the free kick defied common sense and the protected zone the league has tried so hard to enforce in recent seasons.
Many believed it should have been a 50m penalty to Sholl because Powell-Pepper had entered the protected zone before the umpire called play on.
Former Swans and Crows player Ryan Fitzgerald was fuming at the call.
Richmond legend Matthew Richardson responded to Fitzgerald: “Oh boy.”
The Age’s Daniel Brettig said: “So taking your kick after a mark means you’re fair game to be tackled?”
David King said on Fox Footy: “Did he play on? He shaped to kick the ball, is that considered play on? He’s still on his line.
“This is a huge call. It’s either a 50 or a free kick. I’m not convinced he moved off his line.
Commentator Dwayne Russell quipped: “Depends on who you barrack for whether that’s play on.”
Crows claim Adelaide bragging rights | 03:04
Former Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy said: “Well done to Powell-Pepper but it did seem a bit unjust to me. You’re supposed to have a 5m protection zone around you.
“You can argue he should have known he was right behind him, but this is red hot.”
Port Adelaide opened up a lead before the Crows kicked the last three goals of the first half to tied things up 57-57 at the main break.
The Crows only led by three at the end of the third, but the final quarter was all one way traffic as the Crows booted 7.1 to 2.3 to romp home by 31.
