{"id":872506,"date":"2026-08-29T09:32:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T09:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/872506\/"},"modified":"2026-08-29T09:32:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T09:32:14","slug":"afl-rules-on-dogs-coachs-shock-obvious-call-on-post-siren-shot-which-wouldve-caused-a-riot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/872506\/","title":{"rendered":"AFL rules on Dogs coach\u2019s shock \u2018obvious\u2019 call on post-siren shot\u2026 which would\u2019ve caused a \u2018riot\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The AFL is comfortable \u201cumpires followed proper guidelines\u201d, according to CODE Sports reporter Jon Ralph, when allowing Tim Membrey to take his last-gasp set-shot, despite Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge\u2019s claim the Collingwood forward shouldn\u2019t have been allowed to take his kick at the end of Friday night\u2019s wildcard final thriller<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With the Magpies trailing by just three points, Membrey on Friday night took a strong mark inside 50 with 35 seconds to go.<\/p>\n

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But his kick would miss to the near side, prompting jubilant celebrations from Bulldogs fans in the MCG stands \u2013 and a heartwarming reaction as Pies and Dogs players alike gathered to console the devastated 32-year old<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Speaking after the match, though, Beveridge argued Membrey should have been called to play on by the umpires, having taken too long to take his kick.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe clock had run out beforehand,\u201d the 56-year old said in his post-match press conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo technically, it should have been play on before the siren went. But it wasn\u2019t called.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was an interesting thing at the end there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what happened there, but it\u2019s a pretty obvious one to call play on, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

MORE FROM WILDCARD FINAL EPIC<\/p>\n

PIES PLAYER RATINGS: Star duo go missing on big stage<\/a><\/p>\n

DOGS PLAYER RATINGS: Hero who has rivals \u2018lining up for him\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018GETTING A BIT TOUCHY\u2019: In-demand Dog opens up on contract call<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018DON\u2019T CARRY IT\u2019: McRae\u2019s message for heartbroken Pie<\/a><\/p>\n

Beveridge said the Bulldogs wouldn\u2019t be questioning the AFL or the umpiring department over the allegation, but was perplexed by none of the four umpires on the field spotting it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are things like that happening all the time in game \u2013 I don\u2019t know what happens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s four of them out there, so how you can miss that, I\u2019m not sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Membrey misses in Wildcard epic! | 00:29<\/p>\n

Membrey\u2019s mark was taken with 35 seconds to go on the Fox Footy countdown clock, with the Pies forward beginning his run-up with roughly four or five seconds left.<\/p>\n

Tim Membrey takes the mark \u2026Source: FOX SPORTS\u2026 and begins his run-up roughly 30 seconds later.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n

Ralph on Saturday afternoon wrote on X<\/a> the AFL had confirmed Membrey \u201chad a single second left on the shot clock\u201d when he started began his set-shot approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuke Beveridge had said the umpire should have called play on but the mark was paid at 34 seconds and as the clock hit four seconds he had started walking in to take the shot,\u201d Ralph wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo the AFL is confident the umpires followed proper guidelines in allowing him to take his kick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ralph the night before described Beveridge\u2019s claim as \u201csplitting hairs\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cMembrey had those 30 seconds to take his shot,\u201d Ralph told Fox Footy.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, we know the rule here is that you don\u2019t have to have taken the shot within 30 seconds, you need to be on the runway.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Beveridge believes is that he was not on the runway when those 30 seconds elapsed on the scoreboard, and so the umpires should\u2019ve called play on.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s splitting hairs. It\u2019s probably one or two seconds \u2026 all I would say to you is that (it would take) a very, very brave umpire to make that decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bevo: ‘Just enormously proud’ | 07:32<\/p>\n

Former Brisbane triple premiership great Jonathan Brown agreed, saying a play-on call in that situation is something \u201cwe wouldn\u2019t want in our game\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is splitting hairs. Common sense by the umpires,\u201d Brown said.<\/p>\n

\u201cImagine if that had have been called play on. Would have been an absolute riot! <\/p>\n

\u201cWe wouldn\u2019t be here, we would have run for cover, for safety!\u201d<\/p>\n

Beveridge, who coached from the interchange bench in the final minutes, said he thought Membrey had kicked the goal until he saw Bulldogs players celebrating.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was on the bench at the time, and the only indication that it wasn\u2019t was just the celebration of our players near the goal line,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it was actually heading through. I was watching his (Membrey\u2019s) body language and him trying to steer it back.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always nice to get a little bit of luck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bulldogs steal historic Wildcard win | 04:41<\/p>\n

The Dogs coach also hailed experienced swingman Ryan Gardner as \u201cexceptional\u201d for his team-first role in the heart-stopping win.<\/p>\n

Gardner did not spend a minute on the ground until halfway through the third quarter, relieving the returning Tim English in the ruck.<\/p>\n

The strategy allowed the Bulldogs to play Rory Lobb as a permanent forward alongside Aaron Naughton. <\/p>\n

\u201cTim has missed a bit of footy, I thought he was really influential in the ruck,\u201d Beveridge said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could see that in the second half the turnover game was frenetic, I thought Gardy came on and really gave us something.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were able to keep Lobby forward a bit, he was providing contest because Ryan was giving us a chip out in the ruck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gardner won his first centre hit out and took an intercept mark from 16 per cent time on ground.<\/p>\n

But more importantly, he helped English get the sufficient rest needed to deliver two matchwinning taps late in the game.<\/p>\n

Beveridge said Gardner was ready to play his role.<\/p>\n

Ryan Gardner (centre) spent 84 per cent of Friday\u2019s wildcard final on the bench. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no paperwork if you\u2019re going to tactically use a player like that,\u201d Beveridge said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can bring them on and off whenever you want which is great. We don\u2019t do it very often.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what\u2019s happened too, is because they\u2019ve minimised the interchange to 75 and we\u2019re pretty deep in the year \u2026 you need to give players rests.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour key playmakers need to come on and off a bit more which means you can save a few if you keep someone off the ground for a period of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cRyan is such a great team player, he was always ready. It\u2019s probably the first time we\u2019ve done it like that but we thought he really helped us last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he was exceptional when he went on and competed in the ruck for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Captain Marcus Bontempelli had even greater praise, saying Gardner\u2019s sacrificial role was required since the league expanded to 23 players on the bench from 22 and a sub over the off-season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a tough thing with the 23rd player now, you either have a bunch of guys who have to miss a bit of game time, or you have one guy who sort of just has to take a hit,\u201d Bontempelli said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause his (Gardner\u2019s) influence was so strong last week, being able to pinch-hit in the ruck \u2026 the plan was always to hold him to start with, see how the game unfolded, and then we get to use him late. <\/p>\n

Ryan Gardner flies to win a hitout over Collingwood ruckman Darcy Cameron. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n

\u201cHe comes in, makes a great contest, Tim comes back on fresh and all of a sudden impacts the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the amazing thing about Ryan Gardner. He\u2019ll do anything for the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what you need this time of the year, guys who are willing to do it. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s tough for the individual, but if you can process it, you get involved and you have a good moment or two.\u201d<\/p>\n

The win was just Gardner\u2019s third match at AFL level since 2023, and came off 35 per cent game time as relief ruckman for Rory Lobb in the Dogs\u2019 Round 24 win over Melbourne, with English sidelined with a knee injury.<\/p>\n

He was the heartbreak story of the team\u2019s run to the 2021 grand final, playing all three lead-in finals before being dropped for the decider.<\/p>\n

The 29-year old is out of contract at the end of the season, having joined the Dogs as a mid-season recruit in 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The AFL is comfortable \u201cumpires followed proper guidelines\u201d, according to CODE Sports reporter Jon Ralph, when allowing Tim…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":872507,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[43,44,85,41,39,42,40],"class_list":["post-872506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-sports","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/872506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=872506"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/872506\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/872507"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=872506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=872506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=872506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}