‘Thrown under the bus’: Legend’s surprising support for Rayner free kicks as AFL under fire

Australian Football Hall of Fame legend Leigh Matthews has gone into bat for the umpire at the centre of Cam Rayner’s controversial free kicks in last Friday night’s qualifying final between Geelong and Brisbane.

Furore erupted around the MCG after back-to-back free kicks awarded in Rayner’s favour sparked a stunning three-goal turnaround on the stroke of half time,

Geelong’s Tyson Stengle was lining up a goal to extend the Cats’ lead after a flurry of four-straight goals, before a free kick was curiously paid to Cam Rayner in the goalsquare at the other end of the ground against Mark O’Connor for a shove in the back.

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After slotting the goal from point-blank range, the mercurial Lion instantly drew another free kick after Zach Guthrie also gently shoved the Lion from behind.

Rayner’s goals came not long after being accused of “intimidating” the umpire in question alongside O’Connor.

The AFL conceded the day after the fact that the initial free kick paid against O’Connor was wrong, however they did tick off the secondary free against Guthrie.

Matthews, who is a four-time VFL premiership player and four-time AFL premiership coach, was of the belief however that the league were wrong for condemning the decision in the manner they did.

“I hate the fact the AFL have thrown their umpire under the bus. Okay, it was probably a bad decision, but you don’t have to say it too categorically,” Matthews said.

“They employ the umpires — it’s like a coach and his team. The AFL’s team of officiators is the umpires, treat them with respect, and don’t throw them under the bus.

“(I think) they should’ve said: ‘It was a very contentious decision, and the umpire at the time chose to give it ... you’ve got to look after your umpires, and every other umpire out in the suburbs.”

Matthews added that while the free kick was on the softer side, any notable contact between players well away from the play is within its rights to be penalised.

“That’s a little free kick ... (but) the one I would say; when two players are 100 metres from the ball, the contact should be almost none,” he said.

“It’s not like you’re 10 metres from the ball, and you’re pushing and shoving each other. There’s no doubt that Cam Rayner exaggerated the contact, and the contact from the defender was very little. But at the same time, there should be no contact!

“All I’m saying is, there should be no contact 100 metres from the ball, in principle.”

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