Incidents debated after AFL draw

Two controversial umpiring calls and two fluffed shots on goal are the focus of attention after St Kilda’s AFL draw with Geelong.

Saturday night’s result at Etihad Stadium was a blow for the Cats’ finals hopes, but the two points keep them in the hunt with two rounds left.

It was effectively a loss for Geelong, who usually have found a way to win such tight matches over the last few years.

By contrast the Saints were rapt, especially given they had made seven forced changes for the match.

In the frenetic last term, Cats star Steve Motlop was denied a booming goal on the run because the umpire ruled he had run too far without bouncing the ball.

“It was just a mistake – the coaches made mistakes, the players made mistakes, the umpires made mistakes,” said Cats coach Chris Scott.

“It happens every week … you can’t control that.

“The reality is, they don’t make many mistakes – the players and coaches make more than they do.”

But Saints coach Alan Richardson disagreed.

“The decision was a good one, they got that one right,” Richardson said.

Then, with about a minute left, Saints player Maverick Weller marked a Cats kick out of defence.

Cory Gregson ran at Weller and it looked like he should have suffered a 50m penalty, putting Weller in range of goal.

Instead, Savage snapped an other behind with 14 seconds left to tie the scores.

Asked if it was a 50m penalty, Richardson said “every day of the week”.

“I’m not sure what happened there – I presume the umpire was blinded (sic),” Richardson added.

“He (Gregson) ran over it (the mark) a long way.”

Cats star Steve Johnson had a typical Stevie J night, starring with four goals.

But he also paid dearly late in the second term for jogging lazily into an open goal, thinking there were no opponents near him.

Shane Savage brilliantly ran him down and Johnson could only manage a behind.

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