Geelong runner Nigel Lappin gets all up in Mitch Robinson’s grill.
Footy fans from (almost) all clubs were shocked last night as Geelong runner Nigel Lappin twice ran within metres of the ball, interfering with Carlton players with impunity.
The match between Geelong and Carlton at Etihad stadium was hanging in the balance, Geelong leading by 5 points, with the ball in the Geelong goal square. Only seconds were left on the clock.
The Laws of Australian Football state:
15.10.1 A Free Kick shall be awarded against a Player or a Team where the field Umpire is of the opinion that:
(b) an Official of the Team or such other person of the Team who may from time to time be permitted onto the Playing Surface, intentionally, recklessly or negligently interferes with the football, a Player of the opposition Team, an Umpire or general play;
Lappin’s interference with Mitch Robinson – as well as an earlier head-high contact on Troy Menzel – was ignored by umpires seemingly afraid to blow the whistle.
Umpires boss Wayne Campbell seemed to have forgotten to read the rules before talking to 3AW today, claiming that a free kick would only be awarded if the ball was in play.
The Laws of Australian Football read:
15.1.2 Awarding Free Kicks
In addition to any other circumstances described elsewhere in these Laws, a Free Kick shall be awarded to or against a Player, as the case may be, when a field Umpire considers that any of the circumstances set out in this Law 15 occur, irrespective of whether the football is in play.
At the next stoppage Lappin again rounded the pack:
Blue and Gold Blood: After Robinson pushed the runner away, there is another stoppage and once again the runner circles the back of the pack. He has no business being in there and should be fined…
Geelong midfielder Matthew Stokes told 3AW Football:
“He definitely shouldn’t have been there. I was waiting for the umpire to pay a free kick.”
BigFooty.com members sounded off in (almost) unanimous chorus:
Butera: How can you miss a guy in Pink in between blue and white jumpers. HE IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE THERE LET ALONE RUN INTO A PLAYER
Syl97: It is ridiculous that the rules don’t apply in the last minute all of a sudden. I agree with (Carlton coach Mick Malthouse’s) comments. There should have been at least one free kick paid.
Thrawn: Geelong’s runner clearly impeded the play, that’s a free kick any ******* day.
Mick98: … we could all see the umpire quivering on his whistle that whole time in Carlton’s 50. Weak as piss.
GoTheSwannies: An example should be made of him. Fine the club, ban the runner if possible, and impose sanctions on the club (eg no runner for 5 weeks). There’s no place in the game for that.
CouchPotato: it was so congested that the runner was going to be getting in the way of someone in the contest – therefore interfering with the play. At the very least the umpire should of blown the whistle and told him to get out the way.
Some fans questioned the need for runners, others outright called for their removal from the game.
Iron: With the number of interchanges being so high now, what purpose do runners actually have anymore?
You can read more in this thread covering Mick Malthouse’s press conference and in this thread covering runners clogging space and another on runners being used strategically by clubs. You can also read the Gameday thread for reactions as it happened.
