Updated ,first published
In todayโs AFL Briefing:
- Young Lions champ dribbles through a wonder goal in 35-point win over hard-working Tigers
- Former Adelaide great Rory Sloane says the AFL needs to take a stand on umpire criticism.ย
Will Ashcroft has already won two Norm Smith medals in his short career, and he may become a dual goal of the year winner after kicking a miracle dribble kick goal against the Tigers in Hobart as Brisbane galloped away to a 35-point win.
It was not just the brilliant skill exhibited when Ashcroft received a handball out of a stoppage, sized up his options from the boundary before dribbling the ball through the goals as if he was dropping a long putt.
It was the goalโs timing as it came in the middle of a cavalcade of Lions goals from stoppage – both centre square and around the ground – which tilted a hard fought encounter the Lionsโ way.
They had taken until half-time to wake up in the crisp Hobart air as Richmond squandered several golden opportunities to kick away with the breeze in the second quarter and left the scrappy Lions with a slender lead they didnโt really deserve.
Tim Taranto was outstanding for Richmond, recording a career high 20 disposals and two goals in the first half as the Tigers dominated clearance and stopped the Lionsโ short kicking game from penetrating the middle.
Veteran Dion Prestia played well and Richmondโs pressure was sky-high with Maurice Rioli terrorising Lions defenders with his chase down attempts.
They were creating scoring opportunities from turnovers but Seth Campbell, Steely Green and Noah Balta somehow squandered chances, allowing the Lions to stay in touch.
The back-to-back premiers regrouped at half-time and came out firing. Most of the damage was done at the centre bounce as Sam Draper won hit-outs and Ashcroft, Lachie Neale and Cam Rayner went to work.
Inside 50, Zac Bailey and Charlie Cameron took advantage of the quick forward entries to goal or create scoring opportunities for teammates.
The Lions piled on four of the five goals kicked in seven minutes to open up a four goal lead. It was enough of a gap to get the win.
That spurt brought Eric Hipwood into the game in his first match back from a knee reconstruction (and his 200th match) when he kicked one of his two goals for the game.
He received good opposition from Richmond first gamer Kye Annand who looked as though he belonged. Jasper Alger also cashed in with four goals and Tyler Sonsie was excellent as the young Tigers showed good signs despite having six players in the team with fewer than 10 gamesโ experience.
But it was Will Ashcroftโs day. He kicked two goals, including one the Socceroos would have been happy with, that reprised a goal he kicked against Richmond a year earlier at the MCG. He also recorded a career high 38 disposals and reminded everyone how bright the future is at the Lions. They remain premiership contenders in seventh spot.
AFL urged to crack down on umpire-bashing after Hardwick airs frustration
Former Adelaide captain Rory Sloane has called on the AFL to crack down on public criticism of umpires after Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick expressed his disappointment at crucial decisions made during the Sunsโ loss to Geelong on Friday night.
After opening up the conversation when he argued for a change in the way the last-disposal out-of-bounds lasso rule was adjudicated, Hardwick was asked in the post-match media conference about his frustration with the umpiring against the Cats.
โIt was like the Roman Colosseum,โ Hardwick said.
โI reckon they [the umpires] were waiting for the crowd to do this one [thumb-down] then, all of a sudden, free kick.
โAt the end of the day it is what it is, home-ground advantage, we understand that, we know youโre up against it from the start, but a couple of them [free kicks] werenโt there.โ
Sloane said public commentary on umpires by club officials set a poor example for junior clubs and competitions struggling to get umpires to officiate in games.
He said Hardwickโs comments triggered further conversations in the media about the standard of umpiring which acted as a disincentive for people to umpire. Premiership coach Mick Malthouse was critical of the umpiring in Friday nightโs game, telling ABC listeners on Saturday some decisions were โbloody terribleโ.
Sloane called on the AFL to act on Hardwickโs comments to stop their officials from commenting on the umpires.
โThe AFL have to stamp it out. They need to come down hard on this and make sure they set the right example,โ Sloane Nineโs The Sunday Footy Show.
โThe AFL have to look at it. They come down hard on other things. This is one [case where] they certainly need to set the right example for our junior and our community footy.โ
Hardwickโs displeasure was caused by two free kicks awarded to Geelong spearhead Jeremy Cameron when the game was still up for grabs in the second quarter.
AFL legend Jason Dunstall described both free kicks as โsoftโ. Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd said on Sunday โthe umpires were really, really poorโ in that game.
The Cats also kicked goals from dubious free kicks to Patrick Dangerfield in the first quarter and Ollie Wiltshire in the third quarter.
Geelong were also frustrated after they had a free kick paid against Ollie Dempsey after he marked in the goal square and Bailey Smith was unlucky to not be awarded a free kick for holding the ball against Brownlow Medallist Matt Rowell.
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