A second timekeeping error occurred within the same weekend last Sunday when 51 seconds went missing during Richmond's clash with Adelaide.
The AFL was first alerted to an issue from the Geelong-Collingwood game on Saturday night when the clock froze for about a minute after Cats got out to a 34-point lead with three minutes and 36 seconds left in the third quarter.
When the clock eventually resumed its countdown, it only got to two minutes and 56 seconds remaining before another minute was then added back on, only adding to the confusion. It meant that in total, an extra one minute and 49 seconds of game time was played in the third quarter. The two timekeepers involved in the incident were stood down in the aftermath.
On Monday night's edition of The Agenda Setters, Tom Morris revealed there was a second mishap the day after the Collingwood-Geelong debacle, during Richmond's loss to Adelaide.
"Now this as well; we can reveal tonight on The Agenda Setters — 51 seconds," Morris said. "Tim Taranto gets a free kick in the middle of the ground on Sunday, Richmond versus Adelaide, 51 seconds elapses — and yet the clock down the bottom remains on 10:48. And again, a timekeeper issue."
"That's actually the third for the year. The AFL knows, Richmond's aware, and you just wonder how many more errors this AFL (administration) can absorb."
The added time ultimately didn't affect the result, with Adelaide taking a comfortable 37-point win. But it was a concerning oversight nonetheless and would have created outrage if the result hinged on it.
"What's the solve there though? Does timekeeping need to get more professional, in line with the rest of the competition?" Craig Hutchison said. Morris added: "Well, there are two of them as well. It's unbelievable they could make two mistakes in the same weekend." Caroline Wilson said: "I think it's an operational issue and it sounds like Laura Kane has acted pretty swiftly."
