The AFL says umpire Matt Stevic made the correct call not awarding a 50m penalty to Richmond in the dying seconds of Friday night’s game at the SCG.
Dion Prestia was paid a free kick on the siren on the wing, with Chad Warner kicking the ball in the stands as the siren sounded in Sydney’s thrilling six-point win.
If a 50m penalty was awarded, Prestia would've likely kicked a goal that would have tied the score.
Releasing a statement on Saturday morning, the AFL says the right call was made after Stevic and fellow umpire John Howorth consulted on-field in the dramatic final moments of the game.
“The AFL confirms the decision late in last night’s match to not pay a 50m penalty was correct," the statement revealed by SEN Chief Sports Reporter Sam Edmund said.
“The free kick to Richmond player Prestia was correctly paid by the non-controlling umpire in the centre of the ground] and almost immediately after the free kick was paid, the siren sounded.
“The umpires then made the correct call in not applying a 50m penalty against Swans player Warner, given the immediacy of the free being paid, the siren sounding and the ball being kicked into the crowd.”
THE AFL has released a statement ticking off last night's non-50m
— Sam Edmund (@Sammy__Edmund) May 28, 2022
"The umpires made the correct call in not applying a 50m penalty against Warner,given the immediacy of the free being paid, the siren sounding & the ball being kicked into the crowd"
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