Umpires admit error on Swan
UMPIRES boss Luke Ball claims the last-quarter collision that left Sydney midfielder Dan Hannebery’s knee seriously injured should have earnt him a free kick.
The All Australian was carried off the MCG field by trainers after his gutsy contest with Western Bulldogs captain Easton Wood.
Hannebery was out of action for 10 minutes at a critical period of Saturday afternoon’s AFL grand final and even when he returned to the action he was unable to turn and could effectively run only in straight lines.
“Looking at that again I think it should have been paid as a free kick for contact below the knees,” Ball said.
“It wasn’t a clear-cut one where Easton Wood bowled through him but it looked like the action which the rule was brought in to stop a couple of years ago.
“Initially it looked like a red hot contest from both players but on replay it looked different.”
Scans this week will determine if Hannebery needs surgery on the knee.
“The on-field diagnosis is it is similar to Aliir Aliir,” Swans football manager Tom Harley said. “We strapped him up and he went back on but he couldn’t move sideways so it looks like a medial (knee ligament).
“It was a really strong contest, the umpires make the call and we play with the decision.
‘‘It was a pretty good contest and both players were committed to it and Dan came off second best.”
Harley did not expect the ankle injury which restricted Lance Franklin for most of the match would require surgery.