Adelaide’s finals hopes are over after a controversial one-point loss to Sydney at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
Crow Ben Keays thought he’d given his side the lead with 60 seconds to go but his shot, which can be seen in video above, was judged to have hit the post.
Keays wheeled away in celebration, only to be shocked the umpire called a behind.
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Further replays indicated that it might have been a goal with there appearing to be daylight between the ball and the post at all times.
It’s understood the ARC’s Edge technology was unavailable because a Sydney defender touched the post so even if a review was called, it couldn’t determine whether it hit the post or not.
But with no review and Adelaide players busy celebrating, Sydney were able to quickly clear their defence and see out the game.
It’s the second controversial incident in as many as weeks after Carlton survived a late score review to beat Melbourne last week.
Essendon great Jobe Watson was certain it was a goal.
“Unequivocal evidence,” he said on Channel 7. “I don’t want to cause more mischief, but it was clearly a goal.”
7NEWS Melbourne reporter Mitch Cleary said this latest incident may result in change.
“Absolute debacle. We spent all week talking about last week’s score review. In my view this is worse,” he said on Channel 7.
“This is Adelaide’s season done now. We can’t see conclusively from that vision whether it hit the post.
“How has it not gone to a score review with a minute left on the clock. That is a debacle.
“Scott Pendlebury came out this week and said it needs to be changed … if it doesn’t change off the back of that then something is wrong.”
Fans were scathing on social media.
“What’s the point of a score review system, if it’s not going to be used in the tightest of contests, in a decision which couldn’t have had the umpire 100% certain, a decision which was ultimately wrong and has potentially cost the Crows a finals chance,” one fan said.
“Daylight between the goalpost and it is nowhere near the padding, absolute clanger by the goal ump, can’t believe he wouldnt score review such a critical decision,” another said.
“The score review is literally there to prevent the absolute howlers. Awful decision that’s cost the Crows a finals berth,” another added.
The Swans were 44 points up late in the second quarter but Adelaide stormed in the last quarter, booting 4.8 to 0.1 only to fall just short.
Sydney take seventh spot by two premiership points into their last home-and-away game – an SCG clash against top-four fancy Melbourne.
But 13th-placed Adelaide’s chances of sneaking into the finals disappear.
Swans winger Errol Gulden continued his fine season with 30 disposals, Chad Warner (25 touches) was a standout and Oliver Florent (21) and Tom Papley (one goal) had patches of influence..
Heeney’s scoring polish in attack was supported by Hayden McLean (two goals) while Nick Blakey (21 disposals, seven marks) was prominent in Sydney’s stingy defence.
Adelaide entered the round as the competition’s highest-scoring team but failed to flourish in attack until their last-term press.
Taylor Walker and Josh Rachele kicked two goals each and Crows on-ballers Rory Laird (31 possessions), Matt Crouch (26) and Jake Soligo (28) revelled in the wet.
– With AAP
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