The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-09-20 · by Peter Ryan, Marc McGowan
In the final minutes of the preliminary final between Hawthorn and the Brisbane Lions, three controversial free kicks were awarded, altering the course of the game. The article focuses on analyzing these critical decisions by umpires, with a detailed examination of Mitch Lewis's insufficient intent to keep the ball in play (62 seconds remaining), Dayne Zorko receiving high contact from Josh Weddle (53 seconds remaining), and Jarman Impey being called for holding the ball. The analysis includes perspectives from football writers Peter Ryan and Marc McGowan, along with former AFL grand final umpire Ray Chamberlain, who collectively affirm that the calls were correct according to the rules of the game.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The skills of the players in this intense, classic preliminary final between Hawthorn and the Brisbane Lions were the real highlight but when three free kicks are paid in the final 61 seconds and the lead changes those umpiring decisions will be examined and reviewed in fine detail.
asserted
decisions → pay → detail
Football writers Peter Ryan, Marc McGowan and former AFL grand final umpire “Razor” Ray Chamberlain took a close look at the final three free kicks to the Brisbane Lions and whether they were justified.
1. Lewis shows insufficient intent (62 seconds remaining)
Peter Ryan says: The only query is whether a free kick would be paid in the first minute of a game, but beyond that, there is no doubt it was a free kick.
asserted
it → take → that
The AFL clarified the rule after round two this season in a memo to clubs, which basically said a token effort to touch the ball before it went out of bounds would be insufficient intent.
asserted
it → clarify → bounds
Mitch Lewis would have got away with it if he’d either grabbed the ball and momentum took him out or made a genuine attempt to keep the ball in play (which is difficult as he would have risked missing the ball).
asserted
he → get → ball
It’s a fair call.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
And remember Lewis hardly fumbled all match.
asserted
Lewis → remember → ?
Marc McGowan says: Lewis wasn’t trying to keep the ball in play.
asserted
Lewis → say → play
AFL headquarters made it clear early in the season that simply attempting to touch the ball to avoid a “lasso” free kick would no longer suffice, so as harsh as this seems, the umpire made the correct call.
asserted
umpire → make → call
Ray Chamberlain says: The action of Lewis is all that matters when it comes to insufficient intent, but for context, Jack Ginnivan kicks an end-over-end grubber along the boundary line.
asserted
Ginnivan → say → line
If it goes out of bounds without being touched it is a last-disposal free kick.
asserted
it → go → bounds
Lewis has to show sufficient intent to keep the ball in play.
asserted
Lewis → have → play
Has the Lewis’ action demonstrated sufficient intent to keep the ball in play?
asserted
action → demonstrate → play
The umpire made the correct call.
asserted
umpire → make → call
2. Zorko cops high contact (53 seconds remaining)
asserted
seconds → cop → contact
Peter Ryan says: Tiggy touch wood, but high contact was made and many of those are paid or not paid during a season depending on what the umpire sees.
asserted
umpire → say → what
Josh Weddle’s arms made contact with Dayne Zorko above the shoulder, so it is a free kick.
asserted
it → make → shoulder
Marc McGowan says: Glancing blow or not, it is crystal clear that Josh Weddle made high contact to Dayne Zorko while coming from the opposite direction as the veteran Lion spun around.
asserted
Lion → say → direction
Would there be any controversy if Zorko had done this to Weddle?
asserted
Zorko → do → Weddle
Ray Chamberlain says: There is certainly high contact.
asserted
Chamberlain → say → ?
He is not decapitated by any stretch, but you can’t make high contact.
asserted
you → decapitate → contact
He has flicked him across the face.
asserted
He → flick → face
It is going to get paid.
asserted
It → go → ?
Impey caught holding the ball
Peter Ryan says: Great decision by the umpire.
asserted
Ryan → catch → umpire
When Jarman Impey takes possession of the ball, he has both arms free momentarily.
asserted
arms → take → ball
It gives him a second where he could have handballed or kicked the ball, but he decided to do neither.
uncertain
he → give → neither
After holding Impey for about a second around the waist, he then latched on to his hand, so the Hawks’ defender couldn’t handball either, making kicking Impey’s only option.
asserted
kicking → hold → hand
The Hawk just froze and hoped the umpire would not be brave enough to pay holding the ball.
asserted
umpire → freeze → ball
Four seconds lapsed between taking possession and the decision being made.
asserted
seconds → lapse → possession
Marc McGowan says: Hugh McCluggage was brilliant, and Jarman Impey was not.
asserted
Impey → say → ?
You can also effectively forget whether Impey had an initial opportunity with both arms available.
asserted
arms → forget → opportunity
McCluggage executed a tackle as players are taught – pin one arm, and remove half the options.
asserted
players → execute → options
In this scenario, Impey needed to be saved by a third party instantly coming in, or he had to attempt to get a kick away far earlier than he did.
asserted
he → need → kick
The risk was he would drop the ball and not get a foot to it, but Impey’s feigned efforts to dispose the ball were never going to be enough.
asserted
efforts → drop → ball
Ray Chamberlain says: The law has to line up before any decision is made with the umpire correctly assessing there was no prior opportunity, a legal tackle had been laid and the ball had not been pinned.
asserted
ball → say → ?
But then there is what I call “a cadence piece” which is a question of how long do you give the player [to dispose of the ball].
asserted
you → be → ball
If it is pinned and he can’t dispose of the ball or he is unable to make a genuine attempt, then you can call for a ball up, but if not, as is the case here, then it is free kick against Impey for holding the ball.
asserted
it → pin → ball
Mitch Lewis’ forward-50 hanger with three-and-a-half minutes to go, which would have gone down in club folklore if they won, followed Gunston shoving Harris Andrews in the back, forcefully enough that he could not contest the ball.
uncertain
he → go → ball
Gunston’s arms were extended as he did it, so he was lucky not to cost Lewis his brilliant mark.
asserted
he → extend → mark
There was another with about two-and-a-half minutes left.
asserted
minutes → be → ?
After Harry Morrison’s shocking turnover to Zac Bailey, which was a clear mark, Ginnivan wrenched the ball off Bailey then handballed over his head.
asserted
Ginnivan → wrench → head
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
