Chris Scott‘s flying punch in the coaches’ box perfectly encapsulated Geelong’s frustrating final moments of the season, as Fremantle clinched a pulsating 14-point win on Friday night to book a preliminary final berth against Sydney.
Instead of advancing, the Cats are out of the premiership race following a heart-wrenching 18.12 (120) to 16.10 (106) loss to the Dockers, who stood tall in front of a roaring sea of purple at Optus Stadium.
Chris Scott punches a wall. Fox Footy
Scott was spotted on the broadcast fuming after his side was controversially denied a goal in the third quarter by the ARC.
Ollie Dempsey had pulled off a spectacular bicycle kick attempt at the top of the goal square, but the goal umpire’s ‘soft’ call was a behind and the ARC didn’t overturn it.
Amid conjecture as to whether the ball touched Dempsey’s boot after making contact with Matthew Johnson’s bicep, the ARC ruled there was insufficient evidence to change the on-field decision.
“It might be the unluckiest call of the year,” Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy.
Just hours after the San Francisco 49ers had stunned the ‘hosting’ LA Rams in a historic MCG game, Geelong hoped to do the same.
But it was Fremantle who set a ferocious tone for the night in Perth, with Shai Bolton booting two goals and Patrick Voss adding a third in a frantic opening two-and-a-half minutes.
Tempers flared immediately following Bolton’s first goal, as Geelong’s Bailey Smith found himself right in the middle of an early scuffle.
The visitors found a glimpse of hope late in the third quarter when champion veteran Patrick Dangerfield slotted a goal to put Geelong in the lead for the first time with four minutes remaining in the term.
But the minor premiers, who are hunting a maiden AFL flag for the club, dug deep and conjured one mighty response.
The Dockers piled on four goals before the three-quarter time siren sounded, through Josh Treacy, Voss and Luke Jackson, who booted two.
Bailey Smith was locked in a scuffle early. James Wiltshire
The Dockers then survived a frantic final 20 minutes to finish ahead of Geelong in front of a raucous crowd in Perth.
Fremantle has booked its ticket to a preliminary final next Saturday at the SCG, the first time the Dockers have qualified for a preliminary final since 2015.