An AFL legend has demanded an explanation as to why star Nick Watson was denied a goal because of a “pedantic” play on call.
And the Hawks have confirmed they’ll be questioning the call with the AFL in the wash up of their 52-point win over St Kilda.
Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
With Watson taking his set shot after the half time siren, umpire Brent Wallace determined that the Hawk was off his line – and therefore the goal he kicked didn’t count.
While the goal didn’t affect the final result given Hawthorn claimed a dominant win, the moment proved controversial as Fox Footy replays showed very little deviation from Watson.
Speaking after the match, Jason Dunstall questioned the “ridiculous call”, while journalist Jon Ralph described it as an “extraordinary umpiring error”.
“The more I look at this decision, the more crazy it is,” Ralph said.
“Back in 2011 we were allowed the natural arc – the ‘Buddy rule’.
“Then in 2021 we brought in the stand rule; they said there’s no more natural arc … But that (from Watson) was not an arc!
“He was just running straight ahead at goal.
“It might have been 10 or 20cm off line – if anything he was making his angle harder! Making it more challenging.
“There was no advantage that the umpire there was trying to bring back.
“If this happens late in a game – I understand it was half time, it was in a blowout, but it’s just a really, really bad decision.
“It’s a bad mistake and I’d love the AFL to clarify it by Monday – even if that creates more controversy and it throws an umpire under the bus for making a mistake.”
Dunstall said there needed to be something communicated from the AFL.
“We need to hear something as we are all baffled!” he said.
“We’ve watched replays of it!
“(Watson) said it himself: ‘That’s as straight as I can run. I thought I ran straight’.”
“I am baffled, my goodness.”
Veteran footy commentator Stephen Quartermain also posted on X: “The Nick Watson “no goal” call on half-time was a joke. Horrendous decision”.
Ralph revealed the umpire involved in the Watson decision was the same umpire dropped for the 2025 AFL semi finals after the incorrect Cam Rayner double goal free kick.
Watson was reluctant to comment on the umpiring post-match – but felt he’d done everything he could to remain over the mark.
“Don’t get me started. Was I actually off? They are pretty keen to get the whistle out,” he told Fox Footy.
“I just copped it on the chin. I had that issue in pre-season where I run off the line and I sort of learnt from that.
“I thought I ran as straight as I could – obviously I didn’t.
“I won’t say anything.
“I thought I did my best … It is what it is.”
Hawks coach Sam Mitchell confirmed the club would be referring the matter to the AFL.
“We’ll certainly be going to the AFL to ask about it,” he shared.
“It makes sense to me that’s a rule on the other side of the ground as a right footer – there is absolutely no reason that a player would go wider to give themselves an advantage – and that’s what the rule is for and it makes sense.
“The vision doesn’t look like he goes off the line much – that’s the umpire’s call and I can accept that. (But) the fact you can go off the line toward the boundary and it be called play on … there’s no common sense about that.
“I would hope we’ll get an answer from the AFL – I’m sure we will.
“When something doesn’t make sense, they fix it very quickly.
“Why would he run wider to give himself a harder shot and it get called play on? It doesn’t make sense. I’m glad it was in a game where individual, tiny scores didn’t matter.
“I hope it’s something they rectify.”
The controversy saw Dunstall and two-time premiership David King go head-to-head over exactly how much deviation was allowed before the play on call.
“Did he go off the line marginally?” King questioned.
“If it was, it was half a yard,” Dunstall replied.
“Do you want the umpires to have that tolerance or not?” King then questioned.
“I’ll tell you right now, if you get directly behind … I watch goal kicking very closely. There are that many players that don’t run straight at the target. So you’ll be calling play on at 50 per cent of shots for goal – and they don’t call it so why call it then (against Watson)?” Dunstall said.
“Because the siren had gone,” King replied.
“I get that, but you’re not improving your angle. You’re not gaining an advantage. What’s the law bought in for? So that you are not improving your angle,” Dunstall said.
“My goodness … That’s as marginal as you could possibly see (watching the replay).
“You can kick around the corner after the siren, but you have to go away from it and kick it from where the mark is … Nick Watson could sit there and say I’ll start a metre inside because I’m running out there. Except for the fact he thinks he’s running straight.
“He’s doing his very best.
“Half a step off that line, you’re gone.
“It’s ridiculous.
“I’m baffled by it.”
Originally published as ‘Extraordinary error’: AFL world ‘baffled’ by no-goal as Hawks issue please explain