Brisbane edge Hawthorn in preliminary final as late free sparks anger
Brisbane are through to the Grand Final after beating Hawthorn in a brutal preliminary final at the MCG on Saturday night.
Hugh McCluggage kicked the winner in the last minute. It was the ninth lead change of the night and the fourth in a frantic finish. The decider came straight after a holding-the-ball free paid against Hawthorn's Jarman Impey — holding the ball is the rule that penalises a player who is caught and fails to pass or kick the ball away legally.
That call is now at the centre of everything. Hawthorn ruckman Lloyd Meek said he was standing right next to Impey when the whistle went, as reported by The Guardian. Brisbane coach Chris Fagan backed the decision as an acceptable call, according to the AFL.
The siren did not end it. Hawthorn players James Sicily, Tom Barrass and Jack Ginnivan had angry words with the umpires after the loss. As the umpires left the ground, bottles were thrown at them from the stands where Hawks fans were sitting.
Footage published by the AFL titled 'Bottles thrown as umpires leave MCG' shows umpires walking off while objects come down from the stands after Hawthorn's preliminary final loss to Brisbane, as listed by the AFL. Angry abuse was also hurled at the umpires, 7News reported.
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said he knew bottles had been thrown onto the ground. He was blunt about it. Fans should not throw things on the field.
He still defended the passion in the crowd. He said he hoped the vast majority felt it responsibly, according to The Guardian.
The AFL Fans Association condemned the section of the Hawthorn crowd that threw bottles and cans. President Ron Issko said fans can boo and show frustration but there is never an excuse to throw bottles or cans onto the ground or at umpires.
Mitchell was raw at the post-game media conference. "This feeling is the pits," he said.
He said part of him wanted to break down in tears, scream with rage and throw chairs. He did not know how to react. It was, he said, the angriest he had been after a game. The club was in a mourning phase, still in anger and a long way from acceptance.
He also tried to find something to carry forward. Mitchell said the performance showed Hawthorn could be considered a "legitimate" team. His side had gone toe-to-toe with Brisbane deep into September. A preliminary final is the last step before the Grand Final, and Hawthorn fell one win short.
What makes this one linger is the speed of the swing. One whistle, one goal, season over. No wonder the last two minutes have stopped the whole footy world to argue over them.
