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Geelong’s Mark Blivacs defends actions against Brisbane, claims no ‘prior’ amid holding the ball controversy

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Catherine HealeyThe West Australian
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VideoAFL: The Brisbane Lions and Geelong Cats played out an absolute thriller at GMHBA Stadium, with the home side scraping home a one-point win.

UPDATE: The AFL has admitted the umpires got it wrong in the dying seconds of Geelong’s one-point win over Brisbane.

Geelong’s Mark Blivacs was tackled by Lion Zac Bailey just outside the Brisbane goal square and failed to correctly dispose of the ball.

Despite Blivacs arguing post-match he had “no prior” opportunity to release the ball, the AFL has stepped in to confirm it was wrong to not pay a free kick to Brisbane — which could have ended in a match-winning goal.

AFL umpires boss Dan Richardson on Saturday revealed the incorrect call was made and Blivacs should have been penalised for holding the ball.

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“Upon review, we acknowledge that it was a missed free kick on this occasion,“ Richardson said.

“By attempting to evade the player with the ball, that’s prior opportunity, and as a result the call should’ve been holding the ball.

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“Footy is a game filled with split-second decisions from players, coaches and umpires.

“At any given match, umpires are required to make anywhere between 800 and 1000 decisions per game.

“In this instance, we didn’t quite get this one right.”

VideoAFL: The Brisbane Lions were denied a gilt-edged chance to win the game against Geelong when umpires called a free kick for this perfect tackle.

Blivacs had tried to defend his actions after the game.

“I didn’t have prior. It was tough,” Blicavs told the ABC.

“I picked it up and there was pressure all over.

“I tried to get it through (for a rushed behind) but the tackle was bloody good, but yeah, we’ll say play on.”

The controversial moment was heavily criticised by 7Sport commentators.

“That’s a howler,” Seven’s James Brayshaw said.

Brian Taylor labelled it a “deadset free kick”.

“He tried to dispose, he tried to turn as part of the avoidance,” he said.

“That means you’ve taken them on and then there was no handball and no kick.

“Turning is taking the player on, and then no handball, no kick.

“That is a deadset free kick. If you take them on, you don’t dispose of the ball by hand or foot while you’re being tackled, it is a free kick.”

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan refused to weigh into the umpiring controversy after his side almost pinched their first win in Geelong for 18 years.

Injured Lions defender Darcy Gardiner tweeted “just throw it. No worries”, but Fagan refused to comment on the umpiring.

“I haven’t in the four years I’ve coached so I’m not going to start now; I don’t think it’s constructive,” he said.

Geelong counterpart Chris Scott said he felt for umpires trying to make tough calls in the heat of battle.

“I haven’t had a good look at that, I’ll reserve my opinion on that one until I have a look at it,” Scott said.

“I got caught up in the emotion right towards the end.

“I’m a big subscriber to the theory that the game is very hard to umpire.”

-With AAP

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