Adelaide great Rory Sloane believes Cam Rayner should be fined for his “flop” that effectively led to two Brisbane goals on Friday night.
As Geelong forward Tyson Stengle was lining up for goal to put his side 33 points up in the second quarter of the qualifying final, a free kick was paid to Rayner in the opposite goal square for being knocked over by Mark O’Connor.
Rayner received the free kick, put it through and was immediately knocked over by Zach Guthrie as a scuffle ensued.
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However, Guthrie’s actions led to a second free kick in the goal square and another Rayner goal, as he proceeded to laugh in their faces.
The nudge from O’Connor that knocked Rayner over. Fox Footy
The AFL has clarified in the aftermath that the first free kick should not have been paid, though the second one was correctly adjudicated. Of course, the second free kick can’t happen if the first one isn’t paid.
Sloane believes Rayner exaggerated the contact with O’Connor to draw the first free kick and believes the action was worthy of a fine.
“Absolutely there should be a penalty,” he told Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“If you start penalising players for that, then I guarantee players won’t flop for sure.
“That was a flop.”
Tony Jones meanwhile described the free kick as “absolutely disgraceful”.
Western Bulldogs great Nathan Brown suggested that the AFL should tweak the rules, so that if a free kick is paid 150m off the ball like that, it is simply awarded where the ball currently is, not advanced to the other side of the ground.
Cam Rayner of the Lions reacts after Zach Guthrie shoves him over. AFL Photos via Getty Images
This would have resulted in a Brisbane free at half back, instead of the goal square, and avoided the uproar.
“To have a goal given to you when the ball is up the other end, it doesn’t seem right,” he said.
Brown agreed with Sloane on Rayner, adding: “Absolutely it’s staging. I would have thought (it warranted a fine).”
The AFL has handed multiple fines out for staging this year, including to Geelong’s Ollie Dempsey and Essendon’s Ben Hobbs.
However, Rayner escaped MRO scrutiny on Friday night.
The two goals he kicked ultimately didn’t affect the outcome of the match, with Geelong overpowering Brisbane in the second half regardless.