Bell Park’s thrilling one-point win over Colac will long be remembered not only for the Tigers’ comeback from 49 points to nearly snatch a miracle victory, but for the confusion at the end of the contest.
Players, especially those wearing yellow and black, were left nonplussed when the siren, which was wrongly sounded by the timekeepers only minutes earlier, again went off with 26 minutes on the clock as veteran Joffy Simpkin was converting a set shot.
Despite only two goals being kicked between the teams in the final term, delays after Colac spearhead Adam Garner received a yellow card, and a blood rule that forced Tigers teammate Jarryn McCormack from the field, had the visitors thinking there should have been more time to play.
However, after field umpire Norm Douglas returned to the field after consulting with the timekeepers that the second siren was correctly sounded, he raised both arms in the air to signal the end of the match, with the Dragons in front 11.7 (73) to 10.12 (72).
Colac co-coach Seb Ross says the match felt “a bit unfinished”.
“There was a lot of stoppages as the game sort of slowed,” he said.
“And there was a period of time there where they were probably trying to keep the ball in tight and save the game, which forced a lot of stoppages.
“I talked to the umpires, and they were as bemused as everyone here at the oval was.
“But, I suppose if the timekeepers say that it’s time to blow the siren, that’s the time to blow the siren.
“But we put ourselves in that position to be behind early in the game, so in many ways it’s just desserts.
“If you start like that, you probably don’t deserve to win a lot of the time.
“But, I did feel like if there was another three or four (minutes), we probably would have got across the line.”
Bell Park coach James Saker was pleased to secure a victory that maintained his team’s position inside the top five with three rounds to play.
“I’ve got no idea whether it was shorter than it should have been; I think there was only two goals,” Bell Park coach James Saker told K rock Football.
“Who’s to say we wouldn’t have kicked the next two goals?
“I haven’t taken into account whether that was the correct time. I’ve never queried how long a quarter’s gone in the past; I probably won’t ever again.
“But when the siren went, we were in front.”
Bell Park appeared headed for a comfortable win when it held a 49-point lead five minutes into the second quarter, with talisman Jack Sarcevic kicking four of his six goals for the afternoon to that point.
But it was Garner, who was sent off for late contact in a marking contest on Dragons star Ben Lloyd eight minutes into the final term, who turned the game for Colac.
Assisted by the move of veteran swingman Jarryn McCormack to the forward line, last year’s league-leading goalkicker kicked the Tigers’ first goal of the contest during the second term before four majors in the third term drew his team to within a kick of Bell Park.
Scores were tied when youngster Josh McDonald converted a set shot at the 17-minute mark.
However, their next goal didn’t come until Simpkin’s effort on the final siren, during which time Sarcevic had added two to his tally.
Despite the loss, Colac retained third spot, just two per cent clear of fourth-placed St Mary’s, ahead of its final home game of the year, against Geelong West.
Bell Park remained half a game clear of South Barwon, with North Shore its next opponent.
X: @krockfootball
