AFL is understood for the gray space in its guidelines however Charlie Cameron discovered umpires may be extremely strict for those they do implement.
Cameron’s Brisbane Lions blew the Gold Coast Suns off the Gabba within the first half and cruised to a ten.19 (79) to six.9 (45) drubbing within the Q Conflict on Sunday.
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However the win got here with a brutal harm toll with the Lions having simply two match gamers on the bench for many of the match.
Brandon Starcevich went down with a calf harm within the warm-up, earlier than Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner suffered knee accidents, whereas Noah Answerth was dominated out with concussion.
It meant Logan Morris, who had performed VFL earlier within the day, performed many of the QClash as nicely.
And the harm price might have been even worse after Cameron appeared to harm his left leg when Gold Coast’s Ethan Learn tackled him from behind to win a holding the ball free kick.
In clear ache, Cameron was gradual to get to his ft and moved to hobble away, however umpire Mathew Nicholls firmly advised him he wanted to face on the mark.
“Charlie, you want to stand the mark mate,” Nicholls stated.
“You’re not being attended to (by) a coach so come ahead and stand the mark. Thanks mate.”
Cameron didn’t appear too glad however he adopted the umpire’s directions — per the AFL’s strict ‘stand’ rule the place gamers should stand nonetheless on the mark and never go away the ‘protected space’.
“Oh that’s harsh, isn’t it,” Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell stated in response to the umpire’s directions.
“You’re not being attended to by a coach so simply overlook your ACL snap. Simply hobble ahead in the event you can.”
Gerard Healy replied: “I assumed it was actually good umpiring although. He might have been finicky and paid a 50 metre penalty. However he learn the play nicely.”
Russell stated: “It was solely a metre for an injured participant.”
West Coast Eagles premiership participant Will Schofield wrote on X: “Umpire telling Charlie Cameron to man the mark as an alternative of getting off the bottom with harm is laughable “Staaaaaaaand Charlie”.”
Fortunately, Cameron was in a position to play out the sport and kicked his solely purpose within the final quarter.
Jonathan Brown stated: “Simply regarded like he copped a little bit of a kick as he was coming throughout. He simply received aspect swiped. Hopefully it’s only a cork.
“He may need kicked the again of his personal leg.”
Lions coach Chris Fagan known as the efficiency “probably the most superb and brave efficiency I’ve ever seen by any group of gamers I’ve had something to do with.”
Fagan added that each McCarthy and Gardiner’s accidents urged ACLs, which might finish their respective seasons.
The harm blows will take a look at the Lions’ depth however the efficiency was undoubtedly a step in the precise route.
Lions nice Jonathan Brown identified the Lions now don’t play a crew at the moment within the prime eight crew till the top June.
Subsequent up, the Lions have the Crows in Adelaide, Tigers in Brisbane, Hawks and Bulldogs in Melbourne and Saints on the Gabba.
At present 3-5, an excellent run in opposition to these groups might revitalise the Lions’ season as they at the moment languish in thirteenth on the ladder, two wins outdoors the highest eight.
Damien Hardwick’s males couldn’t cease the Lions attacking via the hall because the strain was lacklustre.
Talking on 9’s Footy Furnace, AFL legend Leigh Matthews stated the Suns fell nicely in need of the mark.
“They have been horrible in the present day, Brisbane completely destroyed them,” Matthews stated.
