The AFL has reached out to Collingwood to admit umpires made an error not awarding Nathan Murphy a free kick, or a safe exit from the ground in Adelaide on Sunday.
Murphy was met with strong front-on contact from Crow Darcy Fogarty in the final term at Adelaide Oval and was left dazed and confused while suffering a broken nose.
Play on was called and Collingwood conceded a free kick when Murphy’s teammate Jordan de Goey was penalised for insufficient attempt to keep the ball in play trying to avoid the medical staff that were assisting Murphy from the field.
Watch every match of every round of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Speaking post-match Collingwood Craig McRae said it was “staggering” Murphy didn’t receive a free kick or have the game stopped as he made his way to the bench clearly bleeding from the nose.
“He’s trying to exit the field and we didn’t get a chance to replace the player in a critical moment,” he said.
“(De Goey) almost hit the doc, isn’t there a duty of care there?”
In a statement released on Monday, AFL Head of Umpiring Dan Richardson conceded a free kick was “missed” in that passage of play.
“Following a review today of that particular passage of play we acknowledge that the umpires missed the initial free kick and subsequently the process of managing the blood rule was not followed. We have been in contact with Collingwood to clarify the situation,” he said.
No acknowledgment of the missed free kick to Ash Johnson was provided from the same match.
Johnson was tackled over the shoulder in the goalsquare in the dying minutes of the thrilling encounter, but play on was called for that as well.
3 minutes, 3 plays: Pies’ EPIC comeback | 00:59
Earlier on Monday, footy commentator Gerard Whateley was critical of those no calls against the Magpies.
“There was just some woeful decision making with the game on the line,” he said on SEN.
“The Murphy scenario was absurd that the free kick wasn’t paid … And then I just couldn’t believe that Ash Johnson one on the goal line.
“He’s dragged down over the shoulder, which is (paid as a free kick) 100 times out of 100.
“That umpire looked at it, saw it and decided not to blow the whistle.
“That’s just totally unacceptable.”
