Giants coach Adam Kingsley aims to “get to the bottom” of what transpired with a controversial decision that led to a crucial Carlton goal late in his side’s 10-point loss at Giants Stadium on Saturday.
With the Giants leading by five points late in the fourth quarter, play was halted for a free kick, controversially paid against Giants midfielder Stephen Coniglio for dissent, who questioned an umpiring decision with his arms out.
It led to a momentum-swinging goal to Carlton small forward Jesse Motlop from 15 metres out directly in front. The Blues regained the lead and were never headed from that point on.
Neither coach would get drawn into whether it should or shouldn’t have been a free kick.
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 >
GWS Giants Press Conference | 06:28
“It’s hard for me to comment really because I don’t know what was said,” Kingsley said.
“Clearly we don’t want to be giving away free kicks in front of goal – that’s for sure.
“We’ll try to get to the bottom of it.”
Carlton coach Michael Voss was unaware of what transpired.
“Because I’m on the interchange now, it’s a bit harder to see what it was and I haven’t seen that replay back,” he said.
“I wasn’t sure what it was for.”
Carlton Blues Press Conference | 07:33
It comes after weeks of controversy last year around umpire dissent, which was brought into sharp focus to help improve the treatment of the whistleblowers given the decline in numbers at local and junior levels. Multiple players were pinged in highly-debated incidents last year, either for pointing to the scoreboard or putting their arms out.
Many commentators and fans were surprised by the call against Coniglio. Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon said it was “taking it way too far”, while fellow analyst Jason Dunstall said it was a “very harsh penalty to pay”.
Premiership Eagle Will Schofield pleaded for umpires to use “common sense”, posting on Twitter that the free kick against Coniglio was “not what the rule is there to stop”.
Speaking on Channel 9’s The Sunday Footy Show, four-time Port Adelaide best and fairest winner Kane Cornes said he was “embarrassed for the game” after seeing the incident.
“There’s no threatening language, no swearing, no pointing. It’s just a reaction to a frustration of a player – and that is a free kick from the top of the goalsquare which puts Carlton in front,” Cornes told The Sunday Footy Show.
“This is AFL footy, these are people’s careers, there’s coaching jobs on the line, there’s playing jobs on the line – and an umpire has reacted like that.”
Cornes then pointed to two other incidents from Saturday matches where players weren’t penalised for dissent after they spread their arms while disputing a call.
The 300-game Power player noted Mitch McGovern put his arms out appealing for an insufficient intent free kick – just minutes after the Coniglio call – before it was deemed a boundary throw-in and no free kick was paid. Then in the St Kilda-Essendon game at the MCG, Jack Higgins pleaded for a deliberate rushed behind during third quarter as the ball was seen through by a Bombers defender. The Saints forward not penalised for dissent.
“Is that more violent than what Coniglio did? Yes it is, but that is not a free kick,” Cornes said of Higgins’ reaction.
Carlton continue unbeaten run | 00:45
“We are all confused. We don’t know what is going on. The players don’t know. One umpire is more sensitive than the other and I wake up this morning confused and embarrassed for the game.”
Two Saints players were penalised for dissent against Fremantle in Round 1. Those decisions came after a free kick was paid against them and dubious Dockers mark was awarded, leading to 50m penalties to Fremantle.
“That was two 50m penalties. I want to know what the rules are because I have seen others not paid, others that are paid,” Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd told Channel 9.
“The inconsistency is what is so frustrating. If that is a 50, then the umpire you can’t blame him … but it’s the lack of consistency that’s the issue.
“You’d love for ‘Razor’ Ray (Chamberlain) and the senior umpires to go to the AFL and say: ‘That is not dissent to us. Dissent is when we’re aggressively abused or sworn at.’
“Someone saying ‘that was a free kick’ – just get on with it. Just act like you didn’t hear it and the players will move on, we can move on. The last thing we want to be doing in the rules is being told to pay a free kick in that sense.”
— NCA Newswire with Fox Sports
