The Adelaide Crows have won Showdown 59 with a freakish sideline goal with ten seconds remaining.
In one of the greatest Showdowns between the rival South Australian clubs, a series of umpire controversies left Crows fans seething around the Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
That anger turned into fury when Port Adelaide appeared to have stolen the win when Joe Berry kicked a goal in the 30th minute of the final term.
Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
However, there was more drama to come as the Crows launched a desperate final attack on goal in the final minute.
The ball ended in the hands of Brayden Cook, who kicked from the left sideline on the run with a drop punt from the outside of his right boot.
The kick sailed through the goals to send the 50,000 crowd into delirium.
After trailing by 21 points in the final term, the Power came back to take the lead, but had the four points taken away by Cook’s boot.
The Crows swarmed Cook as he kicked the goal to give the club a 11.10 (76) to 11.9 (75) victory.
Cook was visibly shaken when he spoke to Kayo Sports after the game.
“I have no idea, everything is just spinning,” Cook said.
“It’s an old saying but no matter where either side is on the ladder it’s always a cracking game in the Showdown.
“Growing up as a Crows supporter, to be a part of it is just unreal.
“I’m muttering my words because I’m so rattled.”
The Power led by 13 points in the third quarter before Adelaide rattled off five unanswered goals, capped by Josh Rachele’s stunning goal assist.
There were multiple second half controversial moments with the ARC and on-field umpires both making highly contentious calls in the second half.
Commentators had been left dumbfounded in the third quarter when the ARC stepped in to strip a goal off the Crows when players had already returned to the middle for the next toss up.
Crows legend Mark Ricciuto was lost for words after watching the AFL Review Centre (ARC) come in over the top of the goal umpire to rule a shot at goal from Jake Soligo had travelled directly over the top of the goal post.
With the Crows ahead midway through the third quarter, Soligo received a handball inside the 50m arc and snapped the ball towards goal where it sailed towards the near goal post.
Soligo looked far from certain his kick went through the middle but the goal umpire awarded the goal.
The ARC then stepped in to review the goal with players left waiting in the middle of the field for the review to conclude.
With the umpire set to toss the ball up, the ARC returned a verdict that Soligo’s kick sent the ball soaring directly above the goal post as it crossed the line.
The call made play restart back down the scoreboard end of the Adelaide Oval with Port Adelaide kicking out.
Former Port coach Ken Hinkley praised the goal umpire for making the “brave” call without needing to refer to the ARC.
Speaking on Fox Footy on Kayo, Hinkley said he wanted to speak with AFL footy operations boss Greg Swann, who has come under fire this year amid endless criticism of the volatile standard of umpiring.
“I reckon it was a brave call by the umpire. That’s what we need in the game,” Hinkley said before the ARC’s verdict was delivered.
“We need umpires to be brave enough to make that call. Even with score review, we’re not going to be able to tell if that ball’s gone over the top or not.”
When the ARC’s ruling was made, Hinkley said: “Honestly, I’ve got no explanation for you for that. I’d like to ring Swanny right now and say what do you think that is?”
Ricciuto was just as bewildered.
“How can you turn that over? That’s a little bit crazy thought isn’t it,” he said.
Fox Footy’s Dwayne Russell also said on Kayo: “This will send them crazy. This will send the fans wild here”.
The biggest drama of all came with less than three minutes to play when the Crows were stripped of another goal by umpires.
As time ticked down, Wayne Milera appeared to have kicked the matchwinner, but the goal was disallowed after Rachele was adjudged to have pushed Logan Evans in the back as he attempted to shepherd the ball over the line.
Sam Berry took out the Showdown Medal for his outstanding 29-possession, 19-tackle performance.
— with NewsWire
