The AFL's goalkicking regulations have come under renewed scrutiny after Brisbane Lions forward Logan Morris was denied a spectacular goal on the siren during Thursday night's clash against Sydney at the Gabba.
Controversial Decision at Three-Quarter Time
Morris appeared to have kicked a remarkable goal from a tight angle, snapping the ball around his body to extend the Lions' lead to 48 points at the final change. Teammates and the crowd erupted in celebration, but the joy was short-lived. The umpire, positioned just metres away, waved play on, ruling that Morris had taken his kick one or two strides short of the line of the mark.
Channel 7's Mitch Cleary reported that Brisbane officials believed Morris had done everything correctly. However, the umpires argued that the player had not gone far enough to his right to kick over the man on the mark, prompting the play-on call.
Similar Incident Involving Nick Watson
This incident follows a similar ruling against Hawthorn's Nick Watson just weeks earlier, further fueling frustration among players, commentators, and fans. The decision was widely condemned as inconsistent and confusing.
Commentator Brian Taylor criticised the interpretation, stating: “Well the rule says as long as you don’t improve your angle by going over the mark — he stopped a metre short. Now if that was a drop punt he would have been allowed that metre. But because it was around the corner for some reason they’ve penalised him. I think they’ve got that wrong. It clearly says in the rule book ‘as long as you don’t improve your angle by going past the mark’.”
Reactions from AFL Figures
Four-time premiership player Luke Hodge described the decision as “a mockery”, while Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes called it “the worst decision of the year”. Hamish McLachlan revealed he contacted AFL football boss Greg Swann, who clarified that the current interpretation requires players to kick over the man on the mark. Taylor countered that this interpretation does not align with the written rule.
Hodge further argued that the rule is fundamentally flawed, especially in such situations: “The fact that he’s snapping it, so he’s not improving (by stopping short of the line of the mark) and he’s snapping it... They couldn’t have been able to snap it anyway.”
Calls for Rule Amendment
Cornes seized the opportunity to criticise the AFL's constant rule changes, suggesting that yet another amendment would be necessary. “So we need another amendment and a modification tomorrow, which we’re going to have to get because the rules keep changing,” he said.
The controversy highlights ongoing confusion and dissatisfaction with the AFL's goalkicking rules, with many calling for clarity and consistency to avoid similar disputes in future matches.
