Decision on Wednesday
Sportal
Fremantle could yet be awarded the four points from Sunday's controversial match against St Kilda in Launceston with the outcome of the game to be determined by the AFL Commission on Wednesday.
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson, in announcing the special hearing on Monday, said the current result - a draw - did not stand at present but he refused to be drawn on whether the match could be awarded to the Dockers.
Fremantle led by a point when time officially elapsed but the league confirmed on Monday that none of the three field umpires heard the final siren while the timekeeper had not followed AFL rules by continuing to sound the siren until the umpires acknowledged they had heard it and signalled the end of the match.
As a result play continued for about an extra 15 seconds and during that time St Kilda scored the match-tying behind through Steven Baker to leave the match tied at 94 points apiece.
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The AFL has completed its investigation into the incident - which both clubs will receive ahead of Wednesday's meeting - with both clubs then given the opportunity to put their cases to the nine-member commission, which will decide the outcome of the game.
Anderson admitted on Monday the result of the game - with both clubs currently having been allocated two points each on the league ladder - would be up in the air until Wednesday.
"How the match stands at the moment is not relevant because the outcome of the match and the allocation of the points is something that will be finalised by the AFL Commission after it conducts a hearing on Wednesday," Anderson said.
"It is essential we get the correct result of that match."
The Dockers have already welcomed the chance to convince the AFL Commission of their right to the four points and have indicated they will use legal representation to get the win they feel they were denied on Sunday.
"The Fremantle Football Club welcomes the opportunity to present its case to the AFL commission," the Dockers said in a prepared statement.
"Fremantle president Rick Hart and chief executive Cameron Schwab will be in attendance and it is also likely the club will have legal representation in accordance with AFL directions in relation to the conduct of the meeting."
The Dockers refused to comment on their chances of being awarded the four points on Monday but were in no doubt after the game that the result of the game should be changed in their favour.
"The game's finished. We're in front. We want the four points," Fremantle coach Chris Connolly said on Sunday.
"This is unacceptable. I just hope common sense prevails."
The Dockers also have a precedent in their favour, although it happened more than a century ago when St Kilda was awarded a game on protest against Melbourne in the first round of 1900.
In remarkably similarly circumstances the Saints protested to the then VFL that the match - which ended in a draw - should be awarded to them as Melbourne's match-tying behind was illegally scored after the final siren.
The VFL took six days to make a decision but agreed with the Saints and awarded them a one-point victory.
The Saints refused to comment on the issue on Monday but are in no doubt the result of the game should stand as current AFL rules indicate a game is not finished until the umpire hears the final siren and signals the end of the game - which occurred with the scores level on Sunday.
Anderson admitted the whole scenario - which potentially affects every other team in the competition given the result of the game could have a huge bearing at season's end on such crucial areas of the competition such as which teams make the finals, which teams earn the double chance and which teams earn the right to home finals - was disappointing.
"This is a very disappointing situation for the AFL to find itself in," Anderson said.
"There has been a serious error which has thrown into doubt the result of a match.
"The field umpires have confirmed with our investigators that they did not hear the siren on the first occasion that it was blown and that is what gave rise to the situation which arose.
"(And) the timekeeper made an error as he did not continue to hold down the siren (until the umpires heard it) as he is required to under the laws of Australian football."
Anderson said the matter would be decided on Wednesday to give the two clubs 'fair and adequate opportunity to put any submissions they want to put to the AFL commission'.
He denied the delay in settling the result of the match would affect St Kilda and Fremantle's preparations for huge games this weekend against the Bulldogs and West Coast respectively.
"The AFL and the clubs won't be rushed on such an important issue," he said.
"We are talking about the result of a match here, there are not too many things more important in football than the outcome of a match so this has to be considered thoroughly and the AFL commission is the body to do that."
The AFL did not respond to questions about other issues that could potentially arise out of the controversy such as how it affects betting agencies - which have already paid out on a drawn match - and whether they feared legal action from either St Kilda or Fremantle depending on what decision the AFL Commission reaches on Wednesday.
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