Updated
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says a “major failure” by the AFL has robbed his club of victory against arch rivals Adelaide.
The Crows pipped Port by three points on Saturday at Adelaide Oval, with Adelaide’s Josh Jenkins kicking a controversial deciding goal.
Jenkins was awarded a goal after a video review but admitted his shot hit a post in a post-match interview, as well as initially setting up for a goal square kick out.
Photo: Port Adelaide have now won just three of the past 10 Showdown matches. (AAP: David Mariuz)The mistake has huge implications for both clubs: Adelaide remain in the finals hunt while the Power slip outside the top four and find themselves as low as seventh by Sunday night.
Power boss Hinkley is fuming at the error but says there’s no point seeking an apology from the AFL.
“What for? What are they going to say, ‘Sorry, we got it wrong you now sit seventh’?,” he said.
“They will [admit to the mistake] but they have got no consequence, they have absolutely got no consequence.”
Hinkley said the error should never have happened, saying most coaches had voiced concern about flaws in the video review system.
“The AFL, in a billion-dollar industry, can wreck seasons for football clubs,” he said.
“If I was the AFL, I would be embarrassed and disappointed.
“[The AFL] will come out and say they got it wrong.
“But … the technology should have made sure that this monumental mistake in a football season should not have appeared.
“There’s a major failure by the AFL … major failure.”
Despite Hinkley being adamant that the AFL would admit to their error, he would face further disappointment after the final siren when the AFL released a statement supporting the decision.
“It is the AFL’s determination that after accessing all relevant vision this evening, it supported the decision of the reviewer to confirm the goal umpire’s decision of a goal, with no clear evidence beyond reasonable doubt to make an overrule.” The statement read.
The statement said that the decision was reached “after reviewing all relevant angles for 23 seconds”.
The question now perhaps is whether or not there were sufficient cameras in a position to make a reasonable decision.
The use of technology in other codes has come under fire in recent weeks, and despite the limited application of video technology in use in the AFL, this incident proves that the code is not immune to controversy.
Hinkley stressed he didn’t want to be seen as “a sore loser”, saying the Crows deserved to win after outplaying his side.
But he said the AFL should focus on fixing the score review problem rather than pondering future rule changes.
“The amount of time that is getting spent on rule changes — and we have had 24 hours of wonderful football, haven’t we,” Hinkley said.
“There should be a lot more time spent in moments that are significant to outcomes and can put a season like ours [in jeopardy].
“We have been really strong all year and we have still got a great opportunity.
“But to lose that one, that way … in an industry that is about getting it right, we didn’t get it right.”
ABC/AAP
Topics: australian-football-league, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia
First posted
