AFL Grand Final shrouded in controversy as umpire’s advantage call goes unheard by Brisbane’s Zac Bailey

Brisbane Lions were pressing into the forward 50 and trailing Collingwood by four points with just over a minute to play when the umpires gave a free kick to Lachie Neale.

The umpires immediately called advantage but it was clear Zac Bailey did not hear the whistle as he kicked the ball over his head only for Collingwood to regather and clear the ball.

“Did Brisbane know that was a free kick? I mean that wasn’t a good advantage that one,” Channel 7’s Matthew Richardson said on commentary.

“That is ridiculous, they didn’t even know it was their free kick.”

Another commentator added: “Poor advantage this, Lions didn’t know there was a free kick. Trip the ankle that’s not advantage.”

Collingwood would go on to ice the game and win their 16th premiership as the Brisbane fans were left to rue what could have been.

Immediately after the final siren fans took to social media to voice their fury at the controversial advantage call.

“Don’t follow the footy much, but that AFL Grand Final was pure robbery. Even watching the game at home I couldn’t hear the whistle for that free kick for Brisbane before the advantage got called. How’s someone hearing that in a stadium full of 100,000 people. Shocking,” one wrote on X.

“I’m genuinely happy for Collingwood, and they deserved to win the game. However, that advantage call was one of the worst calls all year, let alone 1.30 left in a Grand Final. But you can’t be definitive to say that it cost the Lions the game. Collingwood flood back if taken back,” added another.

A third commented: “Ruined it. Absolute unreal game, I’m sure plenty of fans wanted to rewatch it… and thennnn your umps ruined it. Robbed the Lions of a chance to win it and a frantic final minute, and also ruined it for the Pies. Disgraceful.”

“Nope. It could have been… but the advantage rule put an end to that. What a joke. The rules have embarrassed the entire Sport and the game. Advantage rule needs to be ditched,” another wrote.

Herald Sun AFL reporter Jon Ralph posted a video of the advantage call claiming the league would back up the umpires despite it being a tough call.

“Here is the advantage call from the Neale free kick. Zac Bailey kicks over his shoulder as he plays on. The AFL will say he took the advantage and could have stopped play but my gosh it wasn’t much advantage,” he explained.

On social media platform X the words “rigged” and “robbed” were trending in Australia with over 38,000 posts between the two words.

Brisbane and Collingwood played out one of the great Grand Finals on Saturday afternoon in front of a capacity 100,024 crowd at the MCG.

The lead changed hands 11 times and neither team stretched out to more than three goals ahead before Collingwood triumphed by four points winning 90 (12.18) to 86 (13.8).