Bulldogs guardant Cody Weightman's starring show against Essendon contiguous was met with contention aft a fig of starring voices successful the crippled were near stunned by immoderate of the umpiring decisions that went successful favour of the young star.
The Bulldogs claimed their archetypal finals triumph since 2016 with a 49-point thumping of the Bombers successful Tasmania, trumping them successful a 13.7 (85) to 4.12 (36) victory.
In bedewed and slippery conditions, Weightman converted erstwhile it mattered most, knocking done 4 goals arsenic the Bulldogs ran distant precocious successful the crippled contempt a choky opening archetypal half.
Leading by conscionable 3 points astatine half-time, the Bulldogs stamped their authorization by keeping Essendon goalless successful the 2nd fractional arsenic the Bombers' 14-year tally without a finals triumph continued.
However, a fig of fans were near scratching their heads aft each 4 of Weightman's goals came from escaped kicks.
While Weightman's archetypal extremity - a escaped footwear for precocious interaction - was hard to reason against, astatine slightest 2 of his adjacent 3 divided fans.
Weightman's 2nd extremity didn't spot good with Lions large Chris Johnson aft Sam Draper gave distant a escaped footwear for making precocious interaction with the 20-year-old erstwhile the brace collided portion competing for the ball.
The Bombers astatine the clip were starring by 2 points earlier Weightman kicked his 2nd goal.
"I reckon that happens astatine slightest 10 times a crippled and escaped kicks don't get paid," Johnson said successful commentary for Channel Seven.
"Weightman very, precise lucky."
Then successful the 3rd quarter, Weightman received a escaped footwear for a hold, portion his 4th came from a push.
The umpire deemed determination was a propulsion connected Weightman arsenic helium tangled with the bound line.
"They've called that a propulsion which is simply a spot hard to find, but helium makes the astir of his opportunities," Geelong large Jimmy Bartel said of the 4th escaped footwear successful commentary.
"I'm not definite wherever the escaped is."
Co-commentator James Brayshaw added: "In a choky last successful the wet, however is that a escaped kick? What is that for?"
That extremity enactment the Bulldogs successful beforehand by 13 points midway done the 3rd quarter.
The Bulldogs successful each received 22 escaped kicks for the game, portion Essendon earned 14.
The absorption connected societal media was adjacent much hard-hitting, with the likes of AFL media figures Jon Ralph and Dave Hughes, on with vigor big and erstwhile Crow and Swan Ryan Fitzgerald, each criticising the umpiring.
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