Umps under fire: Free-kick count mars Magpies-Dogs thriller

Collingwood’s win against the Bulldogs has been marred in controversy with commentary surrounding the umpire’s performance.

In the Bulldogs' 100th year celebration of being in the VFL/AFL at the MCG, Collingwood came back from a poor start to win the match 76-70.

One of the main talking points was the free kick count, which at the end of the game sat 33-14 in Collingwood’s favour.

While a lopsided free kick count within a match is not indicative that a match was umpired poorly, criticism came far and wide regarding their performance.

One of the more contentious free kick decisions came about within the last moments of the game.

With 4:33 left in the final quarter, Bailey Dale was ruled to have had insufficient intent in keeping the ball in bounds resulting in a Collingwood free kick.

OnAFL Nation, Matt Hill made an allusion to the controversy that it may cause from.

“That one will be replayed a few times this week, I’m tipping.” Hill said.

Similar sentiments were also noted by some of the Channel 7’s commentary team.

“That free kick count is going to come up on talkback radio.” Matthew Richardson said.

“There was no need for that though, no reason why that would be deliberate.” Dale Thomas added.

“You see it 50 times a game.” Alister Nicholson mentioned.

This decision was also noted by Mark Finey in Finey’s Final Siren, but he as quick to note that the umpiring did not have a significant impact on the result.

“That was the wrong decision,”

“I did say in the preview to the game that I don’t think the umpiring influenced the result of the game because you’ve got to remember that (Dan) McStay won that free kick, and he coughed it straight up.”

On SEN's Crunch Time, Sam Edmund jumped in on the debate.

"The free kick count upset a few didn’t it?" he said.

"They wouldn’t have been happy; there’s nothing in the rules that says it has to be even."