Latest news with #LachieSchultz
West Australian
20-07-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Umpire howler gifts Lachie Schultz first goal against Fremantle Dockers as Nick Riewoldt blows up
A baffling 50-metre penalty call has gifted former Docker Lachie Schultz his first-ever goal against his former club, but it has left one former AFL star fuming. Amid a high-quality first half between finals fancies Fremantle and Collingwood at the home of footy, a bizarre umpiring decision stole the headlines. Dockers defender Karl Worner was penalised for making high contact with Schultz during a tackle and dutifully stood the mark inside 50 despite clearly being bemused by the call. Worner remained silent as he looked over his shoulder at the big screen, watching the replay of the incident with the crowd. However, what he saw triggered his frustrations as he threw his head back and gestured towards the big screen. It prompted umpire John Howorth to blow the whistle and pay a 50-metre penalty, stating '50 metres, point at scoreboard'. Former St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt exclaimed 'all my gosh' on the broadcast before scolding the call. 'That's just ridiculous and selective umpiring that,' he said on Channel 7. 'We saw a game last night, Clayton Oliver was way more demonstrative.' Riewoldt made a further tongue-in-cheek remark later in the second term, suggesting Mason Cox should avoid looking towards the scoreboard after giving away a free kick in Fremantle's attacking half. The umpire's decision marred an otherwise entertaining start to the mouth-watering contest, which included Pat Voss kicking four first-half goals while Pies small forward Jamie Elliott soccered a goal out of thin air as he chases Cat Jeremy Cameron for the Coleman Medal. Scores were level minutes before the long break.
Perth Now
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘Ridiculous': Former Docker gifted goal by umpire howler
The Channel 7 commentator didn't hold back in his assessment. A baffling 50-metre penalty call has gifted former Docker Lachie Schultz his first-ever goal against his former club, but it has left one former AFL star fuming. Amid a high-quality first half between finals fancies Fremantle and Collingwood at the home of footy, a bizarre umpiring decision stole the headlines. Dockers defender Karl Worner was penalised for making high contact with Schultz during a tackle and dutifully stood the mark inside 50 despite clearly being bemused by the call. Worner remained silent as he looked over his shoulder at the big screen, watching the replay of the incident with the crowd. However, what he saw triggered his frustrations as he threw his head back and gestured towards the big screen. It prompted umpire John Howorth to blow the whistle and pay a 50-metre penalty, stating '50 metres, point at scoreboard'. Former St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt exclaimed 'all my gosh' on the broadcast before scolding the call. 'That's just ridiculous and selective umpiring that,' he said on Channel 7. 'We saw a game last night, Clayton Oliver was way more demonstrative.' Riewoldt made a further tongue-in-cheek remark later in the second term, suggesting Mason Cox should avoid looking towards the scoreboard after giving away a free kick in Fremantle's attacking half. The umpire's decision marred an otherwise entertaining start to the mouth-watering contest, which included Pat Voss kicking four first-half goals while Pies small forward Jamie Elliott soccered a goal out of thin air as he chases Cat Jeremy Cameron for the Coleman Medal. Scores were level minutes before the long break.
News.com.au
09-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Collingwood coach Craig McRae on Tom Mitchell and the selection squeeze
Collingwood coach Craig McRae says the positional flexibility of his veterans could alleviate the selection squeeze involving ball-winner Tom Mitchell. Mitchell last week returned for his first senior game in 14 months after injury and seven consecutive weeks in the reserves. The Brownlow Medal winner's absence had opened the door for young midfielder Ned Long and their potency in the same side has been widely speculated. Long attended the most centre bounces of any Magpie in last week's win over Carlton, while Mitchell gathered his team's third-highest number of disposals. McRae confirmed that Mitchell would take on Gold Coast on Friday and hinted at an adjustment of roles for some of his midfielders. 'Tom recovered really well, we were excited for his first game back after 14 months and he'll play again this week,' he said. 'He looks really hungry to get involved in a game like this. 'I think we've got flexibility in our team to do multiple things, reality is they're all somewhat similar. 'But we've got flexibility for a couple of those to play a few different roles – let's just wait and see on that one.' Collingwood is set to welcome back small forward Lachie Schultz after a stint on the sidelines with a hamstring issue and illness. 'He trained really well today, he was ill last week and it was really the only reason he didn't play,' McRae said. 'He'll play this week, no one is in doubt, it's (illness) probably been two weeks now and it was worse last week, to be honest. 'We used a bit of the old times, don't come in if you're sick. It's not a bad policy.' The Magpies are 10 points clear on top the ladder and face an improved Suns on the road this Friday night. McRae said Collingwood needed to be mindful of Gold Coast's contest work at stoppages. 'I think any team in the eight right now is a challenge for all teams, Gold Coast are really hard to play against,' he said. 'Their contest is strong, their inside is strong, we're looking to getting up there with our Magpie army. They travel everywhere around Australia to watch us play. 'That's what happens when you play them all in the first 10 weeks, every week is the same, we approach it like no other. 'We just want to attack them with what we can, take away some of their strengths, and I'm sure they're trying to do the same to us.'
Daily Mail
05-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Channel 7 pundit Kane Cornes and AFL boss Andrew Dillon issue apology to umpires over one of the most controversial incidents this season
Former Port Adelaide player Kane Cornes and AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon have both issued apologies to four umpires following one of the most controversial incidents so far this season. Channel Seven pundits Cornes, Dale Thomas and Luke Hodge were reportedly being threatened with legal action this week by a group of officials. It came after they were critical of umpires Simon Meredith, Craig Fleer, Justin Power and Martin Rodger, following the saga that has surrounded Lachie Schultz's recent concussion. The former Port Adelaide player had also been critical of the situation on SEN's Sports Day. However, on Thursday night, before the Western Bulldogs clash against Hawthorn, Cornes, 42, 'unreservedly' apologised to the officials, adding that the allegations he made on SEN 'were false'. 'On the May 14th edition of SEN Sports Day I accused field umpires who were officiating that round nine match between Fremantle and Collingwood of misleading the AFL and that they had not seen the incident in which Collingwood's Lachie Schultz suffered a concussion,' he said in a statement. 'I made some of those comments having seen two initial statements made by the AFL with regards to the matter on Friday, May 9th and then also on Tuesday May the 13th, and further comments after seeing the additional statement made by the AFL.' Cornes, who has stepped away from his media duties over the past week, added: 'I acknowledge that the allegations made by me on this show were false and I withdraw them. I understand the umpires truthfully told the AFL that they saw the incident and did not mislead the AFL. 'I unreservedly apologise to Simon Meredith, Craig Fleer, Justin Power and Martin Roger for making these false allegations.' AFL boss Dillon, has also issued an apology to the officials. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the footy chief had held a phone call with the four umpires and issued his apologies for the manner in which the situation was handled. Schultz had suffered a concussion following a horror head clash with Fremantle's Jordan Clark during Collingwood's 14-point victory against the Dockers on May 8. The AFL had initially said that umpires did not see that the Magpies star had been injured and allowed play to continue. AFL football operations chief Laura Kane had stated that the information the umpires had provided was 'inconsistent' with audio that was recovered by The Agenda Setters television show. She appeared to claim that umpires had misled the league over whether they had seen the injured player. The audio appeared to show that umpires had chosen not to halt play having been aware of the nature of the forward's injury. That had led to criticisms of the umpires by Cornes, Thomas and Hodge on The Agenda Setters. Channel 9's Tom Morris later revealed that the umpires were considering legal action against the Channel 7 pundits However, it was later revealed that there had been a miscommunication between the AFL and the umpires. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Dillon's apology had been made in a bid to rebuild relationships between the AFL and its officials - not because of legal action that had reportedly been threatened. The outlet adds that the umpires are expecting Cornes to make a second apology on The Agenda Setters at some stage next week. According to Channel 9's Tom Morris, the four umpires had been 'considering' legal action over the saga. AFL Umpires Association boss Rob Kerr told Morris in a statement that the umpires had been 'advised on their legal rights'. 'Being falsely accused of lying and misleading the AFL goes beyond simply questioning the management of the actual incident,' Kerr said in a statement. 'Public commentary that casts aspersions on an individual's integrity and professional competence, particularly when that is core to the role they perform, harms their personal and professional standing and it is reasonable to consider how that can be rectified.' The umpires were said to be 'furious' at Hodge, Thomas and Cornes' comments. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 7 for comment. Kane, meanwhile, has admitted that the processes had failed but has not publicly apologised to the umpires. 'Today we have determined there was a miscommunication from members of the umpiring department, not the field umpires, which formed the basis of our initial public statement on Friday,' Kane said. 'Those team members have been counselled and reminded of the importance of ensuring our process is fully followed regarding these types of incidents and in this instance, it was not. 'I have asked GM Football Performance Josh Mahoney to review these processes to ensure the right information is communicated and to ensure this does not happen again.
Sydney Morning Herald
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Kane Cornes apologises to umpires at the centre of Lachie Schultz concussion saga
Football personality Kane Cornes has apologised 'unreservedly' to the AFL umpires at the centre of the Lachie Schultz concussion saga for falsely accusing them of misleading the league. Cornes read a prepared statement on SEN on Thursday afternoon. It was reported this week that the four umpires who officiated in last month's Fremantle-Collingwood match - Simon Meredith, Craig Fleer, Justin Power and Martin Rodger - were considering legal action over some of the public commentary that followed. 'On May 14th edition of SEN Sports Day I accused field umpires who were officiating that round nine match between Fremantle and Collingwood of misleading the AFL and that they had not seen the incident in which Collingwood's Lachie Schultz suffered a concussion,' Cornes said on Thursday. 'I made some of those comments having seen two initial statements made by the AFL with regards to the matter on Friday May the ninth, and then also on Tuesday May the 13th. And further comments after seeing the additional statement made by the AFL, readdressing their initial statements. 'Now in light of the additional statement, which made it clear that the umpires had not misled the AFL, I acknowledge that the allegations made by me on this show were false and I withdraw them. I understand the umpires truthfully told the AFL that they saw the incident and did not mislead the AFL. So I unreservedly apologise to Simon Meredith, Craig Fleer, Justin Power and Martin Roger for making these false allegations.' A statement to Nine News by the AFL Umpires Association on Monday did not name anybody but referred to 'commentary that casts aspersions on an individual's integrity and professional competence'. On the night of May 13, five days after Schultz was concussed and play continued while he lay injured on the ground, the AFL's football operations boss Laura Kane wrongly claimed the umpires misled the league about whether they saw the injured player.
