A controversial decision late in Brisbane’s win over Hawthorn has been called into question with pundits believing it cost the Hawks a spot in the top four.
With six minutes left in the game and just two points the difference in the game, Hawthorn’s Karl Amon was inexplicably pinged for insufficient intent after missing his teammate by handball.
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Jack Ginnivan was clearly Amon’s target and was in the vicinity, yet the umpire deemed Amon only had eyes for the boundary line, with Brisbane’s Bruce Reville making the Hawks pay full price by snapping a goal.
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It made it an eight-point game, and the Lions goaled again shortly after to effectively put the result beyond doubt.
Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna stated the call was errant, claiming Amon made a “skill error”.
“It looked like it slipped off the knuckle. We saw as the came went on it got slippery and harder for players to hold on to the ball,” he said on Fox Footy’s First Crack.
“I think with umpires, this is where there’s too much black and white as opposed to game feel … you can’t be paying insufficient intent in my book.
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Two-time flag-winner David King was resolute in his belief a mistake had been made.
“I don’t want one person to say ‘they (umpiring decisions) even themselves out’. They don’t even themselves out, they cost you a game of footy when you’re trying to finish in the top four,” King told Fox Footy.
“It has huge implications on games like this. It was three points the difference at this stage. He is not trying to waste time. He is not trying to set up behind the ball. They are trying to score.
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“The umpires should know that and umpire accordingly. Is he really trying to take it out of bounds? Why would he be trying to take that out of bounds? Why would he be trying to give the Lions a forward-50 stoppage there?
“I don’t understand that, and I don’t want to be too critical with umpiring … but to say they don’t affect and impact games is a nonsense.”
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell carefully weighed in on the contentious call after the loss, emphasising that his side had chances to win.
“I never really come in on that. All I can say really about umpiring is they made less mistakes than we did, so I’ll worry about the ones we can control,” Mitchell said.
The result means Brisbane will play Geelong in a qualifying final at the MCG, a repeat of last year’s preliminary final match-up.
The Hawks will now have to travel to Sydney in a fortnight to take on the GWS Giants in a sudden death elimination final.