The AFL does NOT predetermine results.
THE AFL has ticked off the disparity between how Carlton and Greater Western Sydney spent the lightning delay during their match at Ikon Park on Sunday, with no regulation stopping the Blues from using their modern training facility during the break.
The delay during the Blues’ big win over the Giants has highlighted a quirk in the rules surrounding unscheduled breaks. No regulation exists that restricts players to their change rooms during an unexpected stop in play, such as one for adverse weather conditions.
During the delay on Sunday, Carlton was able to access its training facility at Ikon Park, with plenty of room for players to stretch, receive treatment and use the multitude of exercise bikes to keep warm.
By contrast, GWS was restricted to the away change room, with just one exercise bike available. The below-ground race leading to the Giants’ rooms also flooded, although the rooms themselves remained dry.
While acknowledging the disparity had no impact on the result of the game, former All-Australian Kate McCarthy said the arrangement meant the Blues had a “genuine unfair advantage”.
But it is understood the AFL’s footy operations team has ticked off the differing arrangements.
Carlton isn’t the only side who would benefit from home ground facilities in the event of a rare and unscheduled break, with Geelong (GMHBA Stadium), Brisbane (Brighton Homes Arena), St Kilda (RSEA Park) and the Western Bulldogs (Mission Whitten Oval) all having their home change room attached to their indoor training areas.
The Giants actually benefited from the break, scoring 5.3 (33) to 2.2 (14) after the lengthy pause in the third term, which ran for a cumulative 61 minutes. The final score was Carlton 12.9 (81) to GWS 5.5 (35), with the visitors kicking nearly their entire score after the delay.
Giants coach Cam Bernasconi played down the issue after the game.
“I didn’t realise they had all that,” Bernasconi said of how Carlton spent the break.
“It is what it is. It’s a pretty unique situation today with that rain, I thought the girls managed really well and just got back out there.”
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Fark Carlton!
We need to flop this week to help ensure FCFC miss finals.
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Norf and Hawks pulling a smaller crowd than we did against the Dees?
(same day and time)
Hawk key defenders getting destroyed. Never within five metres.
And still Norf suck.
8-0, goal was from a fifty.
Dead set cheating this umpiring
McDonagh eye-gouged???
Norf player was very proud of themselves for it.
LOL, Kearney deserved that.
Should have been pinged for extended demonstrative abuse of the umpires as the Hawk limped off the ground.
Look the Kangas aren’t my favourite team, but I’m glad they are destroying the Dawks.
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The conditioning of both teams puts our side to shame. The skills of these sides ; in particular North put our side to shame. We are standing still and the competition is getting better ; which means we fall further behind.
I truly hope our Board are watching.
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Are you serious? Norf were bad today, saved by the Hawks being diabolical. The kicking to opponents (by both teams) was off-the-chart bad.
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@theDJR final quarter North were a class apart. I only watched the third and last quarter so don’t know what happened in the first half but North are the benchmark. I know you love our side but objectively we are miles off. Tonight’s game clearly shows that.
No one is denying Norf (though of the 53 minutes they have trailed this year, 35 minutes were against us)
My point was that the nominally fourth-best team in the league is ■■■■■■■ ■■■■, and tonight was just a series of miskicks and dropped uncontested marks by both teams.
With two dominant key forwards the first 70 minutes were an indictment on Norf.
We need to find/develop five guns to become relevant, though.
I was at the game with my Norf niece, and I was the meme of the guy prodding the Hawks with a stick: do something.
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That’s a fair assessment.
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OK, come back in two weeks to see if Norf can choke against an actual-good team; Dees jumped out early, but the Bears took it out comfortably enough in the end (and are therefore basically guaranteed to make the GF).
That first goal by Kate Hore… chef’s klss.
Her goal in the third was pretty ■■■■■■■ good too!
This is a great game.
Her one in the fourth huge too.
And she’s spending time rebounding from defence!