Garry Lyon has taken the AFL’s new score review system to task following a controversial call during the preliminary final between Collingwood and GWS.
The reviewer inside the ARC awarded a goal to Josh Thomas despite the ball being touched by Giants utility Lachie Keeffe at a crucial stage of the match.
The contentious call almost cost GWS as they clung on to win by four points against the fast-finishing Magpies to secure a spot in the Grand Final.
A statement from AFL conceded the ball had been touched but the reviewer abided by the “correct process” for a silent review.
“It was embarrassing and appalling what took place in the ARC after beating their chest and saying: ‘We’re going to trial this in the last home and away game, we’re going to have the world’s best practice, we’re going to get it right’.” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“I don’t care if people make mistakes … everyone makes mistakes. But when you are saying: ‘We can stop the game; we’ve got access to all the state-of-the-art technology and we will get it right’ – then get it right.
“One of the first opportunities and it failed miserably. Whoever the reviewers are – you aren’t doing the Grand Final.”
Gerard Whateley described the error as “catastrophic” in a game of such magnitude.
Listen to the best of bits of this morning’s edition of SEN Breakfast in the player below