Richmond great Kevin Bartlett has slammed Hayden Kennedy and the AFL umpires for ticking off the goal by Richmond rookie Jack Higgins against Collingwood on Saturday.
Higgins, in a spectacular effort, appeared to throw the ball up around the post as he fell backwards and managed to kick the goal in extraordinary fashion.
In what is now a goal of the year candidate, Bartlett believes Higgins should have been penalised for a throw.
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“I’m going to give a cross to the AFL for ticking off Jack Higgins’ throw as being legal,” Bartlett told SEN’s KB and The Doc.
“You can take it to the bank, that was a throw and the Pies should have received a free kick.
“The ball cannot be propelled upwards with an open hand.
“Hayden Kennedy of AFL, who heads the umpires, has come out today and said they’ve ticked it off.
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“Now Hayden can’t do that, Hayden cannot do that.
“He cannot say that we’ve ticked off someone throwing the ball upwards, you can’t release the ball upwards.
“They’ve gotta come out and say look, it looked spectacular and it was very exciting at the time, but unfortunately it was a throw, and it should have been a free kick.”