So you're positing that Brisbane are, in your words, "getting a free leg up this season" because one decision in one game went our way? Or are you just avoiding expanding on that claim because you can't support it? I can think of poor decisions that have gone against the Roar this season and I can also think of decisions that have benefited other teams. As someone else pointed out earlier in this thread, the two decisions to award free-kicks in the match which both lead to Melbourne goals were pretty suspect. Things like this go both ways and I hardly think you can find any proof that there's been a steady series of referee decisions assisting the Roar.
Another thing too. Please look at this graphic.
I was actually ignorant of this the other night I must admit but after some research I understand that where the goal-keeper is standing is irrelevant when he uses his hands, only the position of the ball is important (in the same way as he can be holding the ball while he is inside the goal-mouth and as long as the ball is not fully over the line it is not a goal).
Now I'm not gonna argue that this angle shows the ball was inside the goal area, clearly it wasn't. But the fact that Theoklitos had exited his area is irrelevant in the decision of the referees and the linesman, according to the rules they should have been looking solely at the position of the ball, and considering it appears it was floating just above the marking of the area, it is quite easy to imagine that the ref/linesman could mistakeningly judge the ball inside from the positions where they saw the incident. They're not perfect.
Sure, they could have just assumed that the ball was out of the area because Theoklitos was, and called it up. But remember, Theoklitos' position is not relevant within the rules, so that would have actually been lazy refereeing.
