Matthews slams umpires for swallowing the whistle in last quarter

AFL legend Leigh Matthews says the Grand Final umpires choked when they did not pay a free kick against West Coast before Dom Sheed kicked the winning goal.

Sheed broke Collingwood hearts with less than two minutes left when he marked and coolly slotted a set shot from deep in a pocket in the five-point thriller.

But Matthews, a four-time premiership coach including with the Magpies in 1990, is adamant Sheed should have had the ball taken off him.

He took a dim view of Willie Rioli’s efforts to keep Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard from affecting Sheed’s marking attempt and was scathing of the umpires’ inaction.

“I think that proves that umpires can choke as well,” Matthews told Channel 7’s Game Day.

“That’s a shepherd, that’s not a protection, that’s an illegal shepherd.”

Maynard protested to umpire Brett Rosebury as he set the mark for Sheed’s shot on goal.

Shaun Ryan and Matt Stevic rounded out the Grand Final umpiring panel that paid 30 free kicks — 17-13 in Collingwood’s favour — with only four awarded in the final term. The AFL average for free kicks paid per match this season was more than 41.

“There were four free kicks (paid) in the fourth quarter, so what we’re saying is there were only four illegal actions in the last quarter,” Matthews said.

“I don’t believe in this principle that just because it’s a big game in the last quarter (we) don’t pay free kicks.

“If they’re there they’ve got to be paid.

“Those moments where you don’t blow the whistle . . . are just as critical as the ones where you do.”