2 weeks Ago By The Roar
Adelaide will reportedly request a ‘please explain’ from the AFL over several crucial last-minute umpiring decisions in their thrilling one-point loss to Gold Coast.The most costly came when star midfielder Izak Rankine was first denied a mark inside 50, then not paid a free kick after Suns defender Sam Collins came crashing into him to take him to ground.Speaking after the match, Fox Footy’s David King said the umpire ‘froze’ in not awarding the free, one of a number of contentious calls to go against the Crows in their first loss of the season.
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What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.“That’s a mark and/or a free kick. You can’t tackle a guy while he’s marking the ball; you can’t drive into the middle of his back,” King said.
“The umpire froze, let’s be honest. He didn’t want to pay the decision. It’s a mark or a free kick, there’s no doubt about that.
”Another controversial call saw Crow Riley Thilthorpe denied a free kick for high contact after opponent Mac Andrew appeared to collect him in the head attempting to tackle, with the incident leading to a post-match scuffle after Andrew taunted Thilthorpe with a thumbs-up.The audacity of Mac Andrew to sledge Thilthorpe for giving away the last minute free kick despite five brilliant goals, then deliver the match winning spoil on him seconds later. Thumbs up all round pic.
twitter.com/PNTL2OkKhx— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) April 5, 2025According to the Herald Sun, the Crows will seek clarity from the league over the late calls, though coach Matthew Nicks took a diplomatic approach in his post-match press conference.“You need every bit of luck in that moment, but that last minute and a half, we clearly didn’t get things going our way,” Nicks said.
“I’d say there’s some really frustrated fans of ours out there. I feel for them, and I’m a little bit with them.When asked whether he felt Rankine should have been awarded the mark, Nicks said: “My version of it is I think, if he didn’t mark it, he was tackled in a marking contest.
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“But again, we made so many mistakes throughout the game. Things happen.”The one-point win leaves the Suns unbeaten to start the 2025 season, while the Crows boast a still-impressive 3-1 record.
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