Tonight's semi-final has been shrouded by contention aft an evident timekeeping mistake successful the last circular of the location and distant play that impacted some teams.
Brisbane finished the play successful 4th spot aft signaling a ample capable triumph implicit the Eagles successful Round 23. Seven points scored by the Lions successful the dying seconds of the lucifer boosted its percent somewhat implicit the Bulldogs.
With the ladder positions not locked successful until precocious successful the last quarter, eagle-eyed observers noticed an mistake that could beryllium highly costly for the Bulldogs.
With Lions midfielder Jarrod Berry lining up for extremity successful the last quarter, tract umpire Nick Brown raised his limb to awesome clip off.
The timekeepers appeared to hide to restart the countdown clock, leaving it frozen for astatine slightest 24 seconds, fundamentally giving the Lions much clip aboriginal connected successful the quarter.
The mistake was blasted by Hawthorn champion Jordan Lewis astatine the clip connected Fox Footy's coverage.
"You tin reason it outgo Western Bulldogs a top-four spot due to the fact that everything happened successful that past 20 to 25 seconds," Lewis told Fox Footy.
"The Western Bulldogs miss retired connected the apical four. A elemental mistake has outgo the broadside a apical 4 position."
According to a Herald Sun report, the work has sought clarification from the AFL for 12 days to nary avail, with questions raised implicit whether the incidental was related to sports betting.
"That occurred to maine arsenic the crushed they tried to hide it," Alliance for Gambling Reform advocator Tim Costello told the Herald Sun.
"Here are clubs doing the close happening erstwhile it comes to gambling oregon playing the game, and present is the ruling assemblage captured by sponsorship dollars that perchance person integrity issues.
"The AFL person a struggle of involvement to explain."
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