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Western Bulldogs defender Rory Lobb has escaped suspension for a late spoil on Collingwood’s Mason Cox that Magpies coach Craig McRae labelled a “punch in the face”.
In the fourth quarter of the Magpies’ thrilling 10.16 (76) to 10.10 (70) win at the MCG on Friday, Cox marked on the wing and Lobb’s late spoil caught him flush on the cheek, flooring him.
The Collingwood ruck-forward was unable to take his kick and did not see out the game, while he had swelling and cuts under his eye.
However, Lobb was cleared by Match Review Officer Michael Christian, who deemed the act a genuine attempt to spoil and not a reportable offence.
“”The incident involving the Western Bulldogs’ Rory Lobb and Collingwood’s Mason Cox from the fourth quarter of Friday’s match was assessed,” an AFL statement reads.
“It was the view of the MRO that Lobb made a genuine attempt to spoil and that it was not reasonably foreseeable his actions would result in a reportable offence being committed.”
“He looks like he’s got a couple stitches in his eye,” Pies coach McRae said of Cox.
“Didn’t come back on the ground but I’m not too sure we’re too concerned about that. But we’ll have to monitor him in the next period.
“It looked on the vision like he got punched in the face, so he got a couple of stitches.”
Collingwood have the bye next, so Cox should be fit to face Carlton in round four regardless.
When asked if he expected the incident to get looked at, McRae said: “I’m not sure, I assume so.
“Guy leaves the ground with a couple of stitches, I’m not sure. I’ll leave it up to others to decide that.”
If key defender Lobb, who had distinctive blue hair on Friday night, were to be suspended, it would be a huge blow to the Bulldogs ahead of facing Carlton big men Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay next Friday.
Cox wears special sports glasses to protect his eyes after multiple surgeries earlier in his career.
When asked if the damage was done by his glasses, McRae said: “Potentially. But he got punched in the face.”
Crisp gave away a free kick for his dangerous tackle on West in the first quarter.
A suspension would end his extraordinary streak of games.
He has played 240 consecutive games, four shy of the late Jim Stynes’ record.
“I remember the one right in front of me,” McRae said.
“I’d have to watch a replay to make a better assessment of it. Maybe during the week.”
The incident was just one of many controversial moments on Friday night, with the AFL world up in arms after the Magpies’ win was aided by a remarkable rub of the green from the umpires.
The Magpies received a whopping 33 free kicks to the Bulldogs’ 14, with several key late decisions going the victors’ way, most notably a call to not penalise Nick Daicos for taking the ball deliberately out of bounds minutes after an incredibly harsh call against Bulldog Bailey Dale in the final quarter.
Speaking on 3AW, former greats Jimmy Bartel and Matthew Lloyd were incensed, with Lloyd noting that the scrutiny would have been even greater had it happened to a powerful Victorian club like the Magpies or Essendon.
“Great contest – terrible umpiring,” Bartel quipped.
“That’s as bad umpiring against a side probably that I’ve seen,” Lloyd added.
“I don’t get caught up in umpiring too much but 33 to 14 Collingwood’s way. It was a landslide… they’d be disappointed with that, the Western Bulldogs.”
On Seven, commentator James Brayshaw said the free kick differential ‘will be discussed long beyond tonight’.
“I can’t remember a 19-free kick discrepancy in a game of footy,” Brayshaw said.
“Imagine if that was the other way, if that was against Collingwood and they went on to lose the game. The Ponsford Stand might have been razed to the ground.”
However, Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge played a straight bat post-match when asked about the controversy.
“It’s not a safe space for any senior coach to be talking about adjudication in the game,” he said.
“I was frustrated with some of the blatant ones we gave away. In the end I just treat it as swings and roundabouts.
“I knew about the differential at the end of the game but we’ve got to move on.”
(with AAP)
© AAP
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