The controversial outcome of the St Kilda V Fremantle clash last weekend when the umpire failed to hear the final siren is not such a rare occurrence.
In August 1987 at Trumper Park, Pennant Hills led St George all day in the first semi final. When the final siren sounded, Pennant Hills held a 3 point winning margin. However umpire Frank Kalayzich and a number of players failed to hear the siren and play continued. As the other central umpire Mark Rendell attempted to reach his colleague to inform him the match had ended, St George had kicked a goal, putting them in the lead by 3 points.
Realising the impending disaster, panic spread in the timekeepers' box. Finally, after the timekeeper sounded the siren continually the umpire acknowledged and signalled full time. Game over, but who had won?
Pennant Hills president Derek Heelan was an angry man - he wanted blood. Club officials gathered around the umpires as they left the field, remonstrating as they made their way to the umpires' room. The result stood. There was no other option.
This incident should have taught the football community two lessons. The siren must be sounded continuously until acknowledged by the umpire and secondly, the quality of the siren must be ensured. Few people realise the importance of timekeeping in Australian Football and unfortunately we still have problems with untrained timekeepers.
In an almost comical set of events in the 1961 final series the timekeeping was farcical.
In the preliminary final between Sydney Naval and Newtown at Trumper Park, the first quarter of the match was shortened by 12 minutes when the siren was accidentally sounded by an official of a girls' marching team about to perform on the ground at half time. When the siren sounded both teams stopped playing and changed ends (this was before the quarter time interval was introduced).
Officials decided to play the 12 minutes missed by adding 4 minutes to each of the remaining three quarters, but decided not to inform the teams.
In the last few seconds of the match, both teams were locked on 88 points and the siren was sounded for full time. Umpire Jack Colbert failed to hear it and Sydney Naval forward Jack Harding marked 40 metres out from goal. Harding's kick fell short and team mate Alan Waack gathered the bouncing ball and booted it through for a goal to put Newtown in front.
Unbelievably umpire Colbert had still not heard the siren which by this stage was wailing continuously. The all-clear was given and it was only when the ball was to be bounced to re-start play that he acknowledged and signalled the end of the game.
Newtown's subsequent protest was based on the fact the final siren was not sounded continuously, resulting in Sydney Naval's winning goal. The league ruled for a re-play, but not before Sydney Naval sought legal advice in an attempt to secure a court injunction to stop the match.
Court action didn't transpire and the match was replayed the following week which Sydney Naval won by more than three goals. However, the timekeeping debacle doesn't finish there.
The following week, September 16, the grand final between North Shore and Sydney Naval was played at the Sydney Showground. Eight minutes before the end of the game with North Shore well in front, the League's assistant secretary Joe Boulus was dismantling the public address system and accidentally sounded the siren. Although only sounding for a few seconds, it was enough for the central umpire to signal full time.
Vice President of the League, George Henry jumped the fence and ran towards umpire Graham Ashworth telling him of the mistake, but it was too late. The game was over.
After the match Sydney Naval Captain and Phelan Medallist Ralph Turner jokingly said that to save the league any further embarrassment his side would not protest the decision.
We were beaten by a better team and they would have beaten us by 14 goals if we had played the game right out." Turner said.
North Shore won the match and the premiership 11.15 (81) to 4.11 (35).
In a less than honest turn of events in round 21 at Rosedale Oval in 1972, South Sydney had just snuck in front of Southern Districts as the end of the game drew near.
Timekeepers attempted to sound the siren to signal full time but found it didn't work. Play continued and as the ball worked its way towards the Southern Districts goal, a South Sydney official quickly traced the electric cord of the siren back to the clubrooms to find that the plug had been removed from the wall and switched off. Full time was declared.
So, while most timekeeping errors have been accidental, unfortunately on this occasion it was made in deceit.
Ian
GRANLAND, OAM History Committee
Last Modified on 12/05/2009 12:54