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Woodville-West Torrens coach Michael Godden has said his side feels "absolutely gutted" by the way the SANFL's 19th man saga has unfolded, and has called on North Adelaide Football Club for an apology.
Key points:
- Eagles coach Michael Godden says his side feels "wronged" by the decision
- The tribunal decided in favour of North Adelaide, which had 19 players on the field
- Roosters coach Josh Carr questioned whether it affected the result
The football league's tribunal last night awarded North Adelaide, not the Eagles, a spot in Sunday's grand final despite the Roosters having 19 players on the field during the early stages of the fourth quarter of the preliminary final.
The league has been forced to defend that decision, but has also committed to reviewing the laws surrounding player head counts which were branded "anachronistic" by the tribunal.
"We haven't received anything from North Adelaide footy club," Godden said.
"What I probably would have expected is some form of an apology for the error they've made and the pain that's suffered by our club, so that's disappointing.
"These lads are just absolutely on their knees today and you can't support them enough, and for me to say to them 'you're going to have to get over it' is the most embarrassing thing I've ever had to say to a player.
"I'm not blaming North Adelaide for what happened, I'm just saying that the situation is that I felt we were in the right."
Godden has called for the laws and regulations surrounding player head counts to be "brought into the modern era", adding his side was more than open to the idea of a rematch.
The SANFL veteran, who has coached the club since 2010, admitted he was surprised to discover the tribunal had not ruled in his side's favour.
"I was sitting on my couch last night, waiting for my phone to ring until about 11:30pm until I got the call, and I had no doubt in my mind we were playing this weekend," Godden said.
"I feel like we've been wronged, no doubt about that.
"For me, playing the last quarter again tonight, or playing a full rematch — we as a club were more than open to that."
Roosters coach says result not tarnished
Many supporters have expressed dismay at the tribunal's decision and at the SANFL, which on Tuesday defended its handling of the affair but committed to reviewing the player count law.
"It is plausible that rule was written at a time when very few interchanges were made," SANFL CEO Jake Parkinson said.
"The rule… required the captain of the opposing team to approach the umpire for a count. We'll have to have a look at that rule and evaluate it in the context of the modern game."
In 2008, the AFL revised its laws after it was revealed Sydney had an extra man on the field for a short period during the crucial closing moments of a draw with North Melbourne.
The AFL on Tuesday told the ABC the league had greater discretionary powers than the SANFL to overturn results.
North Adelaide coach Josh Carr has expressed relief at the SANFL tribunal's decision, and questioned whether the extra player had an impact on the result.
"Is it tarnished? Not from my point of view," he said.
"I reckon there were 20 seconds from when I was made aware to [the time] I got the player off the ground.
"The decision's been made and we're rapt to be playing in a grand final."
But Godden said it was clear to him during the game something was not right, and said the impact was "immeasurable".
"There was a player that kept on spitting out forward of the stoppage and we just couldn't work out where he was coming from," he said.
"There was word that came through early in the quarter that said 'they've been playing with 19 men'.
"I just moved on, stupidly. I wish that at the time I'd called for a head count because in that event we'd be playing this weekend."
Godden said the debacle made the league "look a bit Mickey Mouse", and he would now "head count every game" he coached.
North Adelaide will play Norwood in the grand final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Topics: sanfl, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, north-adelaide-5006, woodville-5011
First posted