AFL bosses dodge three bullets live after Adelaide’s miracle win over Port Adelaide

The Adelaide Crows miracle victory over Port Adelaide has spared the AFL from a gigantic headache after three decisions cost the eventual winners crucial goals.

Controversy threatened to mar the result of the game when the ARC intervened and overturned a Jake Soligo goal (with the ball soaring high above the post), despite seemingly inconclusive camera angles to prove it.

Commentators and fans were all stunned when the review changed the umpire’s call from a goal to a behind, but it was not the only dodgy decision of the night.

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Earlier, a free kick to Zak Butters handed Port Adelaide goal despite the superstar midfielder “unaware” the ball was his.

“That’s just incidental contact. He didn’t even know, Zak Butters, that he’d won that free kick,” AFL expert Kane Cornes said of that decision.

And with with a tick over two minutes remaining in the game, Adelaide was denied another goal, this time when Wayne Milera slotted one from 50 but had it disallowed because of a very minor push from Josh Rachele on Logan Evans in the goalsquare.

Most people believe the ARC decision to call this a point was inconclusive. Credit: @FoxFootyThe mood at Adelaide oval rapidly when the umpires decided this was not a goal, but a free kick to Port Adelaide. Credit: @FoxFooty

“I thought the Crows were going to be robbed again. I thought it was another chapter. I had a chart ready to go,” Cornes said on the AFL website.

“Then this late,” he said while showing the free kick against Rachele). “That is a goal. And then that’s been reversed because of the Rachele, I’m assuming it was a push in the back in the goalsquare. I couldn’t find the contact very, very minimal.

“So I thought Adelaide had been robbed again. I thought this is going to be the Vol-Kane-O.

“They were the better side on the night. They dominated the inside-50 count, but they’re on the wrong end of the umpiring decision.

“Thank goodness, thank goodness for Adelaide, because there would have been all sorts of carnage in Adelaide. I’m not sure the Crows fans would have even left the stadium if they’d been robbed again … (thank goodness) that they were able to get over the line.

“I just think you have to be 100 per cent sure if you’re an umpire in those huge moments, and we can have some incidental contact in our game … and that cost Adelaide two goals.”

The pulsating one-point victory — (11.10 (76) to 11.9 (75) — saved the AFL from further embarrassment (and Adelaide fury) much to the relief of AFL chief Andrew Dillon and footy boss Greg Swann (who were spotted at the game).

Indeed, when the cameras beamed the league’s top dogs onto the scoreboard, Crows fans were not shy in showing their displeasure.

Adelaide have a long history of crucial decisions that have gone against them and cost them games.

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Earlier this year in the Round 3 thriller against Geelong, Crows fans were fuming when a free kick was paid to Cats star Tom Atkins after the quick-thinking veteran fooled all the umpires when the ball came off his boot.

Despite Adelaide’s Zac Taylor furiously protesting, Atkins grabbed the ball with authority and took the kick (which led to a Cats goal) … with the AFL later conceding that it was an error (but said the ARC did not have a chance to intervene).

Adelaide lost that game by eight points but only two points separated the teams when the error was made.

Last year the Crows were dudded (again) in a clash with Gold Coast when Izak Rankine was denied a mark (or free kick) inside Adelaide’s forward line that would have been a shot on goal and given his team a chance to lead with less than two minutes remaining.

After that error, the AFL also admitted they got it wrong. Adelaide lost that Round 4 clash by a point.

Of course, the biggest blunder of all was in 2023 when the Crows’ hopes of making the finals were blown up due to a goal-umpire error that denied Ben Keays a goal with just 80 seconds on the clock in the clash with Sydney (they also lost that game by a point).

Last year, the Crows were so frustrated (after the Rankine call), CEO Tim Silvers issued a statement.

“We once again find ourselves faced with an AFL acknowledgment of an umpiring error but unfortunately and in reality, it is of no use or benefit to our club, or our players, coaches, staff, members and supporters,” the statement said.

“It’s increasingly frustrating. With a five-day break between games, we must switch our focus to putting in a strong performance against (our next opponent Geelong …).”