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Sydney ‘gifted’ Isaac Heeney goal after umpire incorrectly pays free kick for out on the full

The blatant error sparked an immediate debate over what should happen in future.

Sydney ‘gifted’ Isaac Heeney goal after umpire incorrectly pays free kick for out on the full

The blatant error sparked an immediate debate over what should happen in future.

Sydney midfielder Isaac Heeney kicked a controversial goal from a free kick which, replays showed, was clearly incorrectly paid during his side’s Indigenous Round clash with Carlton on Friday night.

Heeney pounced on a loose ball in the pocket of the Swans’ forward 50 and attempted to dribble it towards goals, but was denied by the leg of Blues defender Mitch McGovern.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Isaac Heeney awarded controversial free kick.

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At first glance, and from the view of the boundary umpire, it appeared as if the ball rebounded off McGovern’s leg and went out of bounds on the full.

As such, a free kick for out on the full was paid to Heeney, despite the protests of McGovern and Jacob Weitering, who were adamant the ball had bounced.

“I believe it went out on the full; I didn’t see it bounce,” the boundary umpire could be heard saying.

Heeney snapped a brilliant goal from the boundary line on his non-dominant left foot, but replays quickly had already shown he should never have had the chance.

The ball clearly hit the ground after it rebounded off McGovern’s leg, in what would be considered the footy-equivalent of a bump-ball in cricket, proving the umpire should have called for a throw-in.

Mitch McGovern pleaded his case to the umpires but it was called out on the full. Credit: Channel 7

“Oh no,” James Brayshaw said after seeing the replay.

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“That is a bump-ball. You’d be sending that upstairs (if it happened in cricket).”

After Heeney kicked the goal, Matthew Richardson added: “Well, a little gift there for Isaac Heeney.

“He is coming into the game, late in the first, and now early in this second quarter.”

The incident sparked an immediate debate over whether the AFL should have the ability to use the ARC to review and overturn in-play decisions like that, in the same way it reviews scores.

“Daisy, you never want to see decisions being overturned like that from upstairs, or do you?” Richardson asked Dale Thomas.

Thomas said the ARC should be able to step in if there is a stop in play to do so.

“If there’s an immediate chance to do it, yes,” he said.

Richardson disagreed: “I don’t, for the record; some go your way, some don’t.

“But I have heard that discussion this week for the howler.”

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