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Melbourne midfielder Alex Neil-Bullen cost his team a free-kick which he gifted Brisbane the winning goal in an AFL heartstopper on friday night.
With the score level at 80 apiece deep into the final quarter, the 168 man dived over the line deep inside his own defensive 50 with ball in hand like a rugby league player in a clear attempt to force a try to run out the clock.
WATCH ABOVE: Alex Neil-Bullen takes an unforgivable free-kick.
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He was under some pressure from Brisbane star Hugh McCluggage but didn’t get any contact as he forced himself out of bounds.
The Lions players all called for a free-kick with “not enough intent” and the referee was right on the spot to make the easiest decision of the night.
“I don’t think you can argue, I mean he only had one intention there, Neil-Bullen,” Matthew Richardson said of the free-kick.
And luckily for Neal-Bullen, McCluggage came back and kicked the winning goal from the touchline.
Melbourne had a shot at goal moments later after play resumed but missed and the Lions held on for a famous win, keeping their finals hopes alive.
“I thought he was missing to the left and then he just had this tail on him,” McCluggage said after the game.
“We were peppery there in the last quarter and it would have been disappointing if we didn’t get over the line.
“They’re the ones you have to win, those close ones, and we’re building really good form, so I’m excited.”
In what was a strange subplot to the final few moments of the heart-stopping finale, the official clock appeared to stand still as McCluggage lined up to score – after the referee turned back the clock.
Channel 7’s Brian Taylor immediately snapped.
“Look at the clock – the clock hasn’t moved in those 30 seconds,” Taylor said.
“So there’s basically 30 seconds left on the clock. I’m pretty sure that’s what I saw.
Matthew Richardson added: “It certainly didn’t start once McCluggage came on and the ball was in the air.”
Taylor’s suspicions were then confirmed.
“I was just told that the clock stopped after (the ball) went over the line, and it never restarted again until the score was on the board,” he said.
The Lions defied some of Melbourne’s best footy and survived their own wastefulness to claim a five-point win at the Gabba.
The hosts came from 24 points down to win 11.20 (86) to 11.15 (81).
A fourth straight win after a 2-5 start to the season catapulted the Lions (8-6-1) into the top eight for the first time — in fifth place — while the Demons’ (8-7) fifth loss in seven games will be a tough pill to swallow .
Brisbane led by 15 points at quarter-time, but led by ruckman Max Gawn, trade midfielder Clayton Oliver (29 disposals, one goal) and five-goal forward Kisaya Pickett, the Demons fired six straight majors.
Pickett had four goals before half-time, but his fifth was the best moment, crossing, defending, spinning and then snapping his unfavoured left leg as Melbourne flexed their muscles.
It was perhaps the Demons’ best football of the season as they dominated through the middle, with forward Bailey Fritsch denying Harris Andrews’ strike for good measure.
But the Lions turned the tables in the second half, clawing their way back to within 10 points in the third quarter and eventually breaking the Demons in the final 10 minutes of the game.
They did everything in their power to throw it away, with Eric Hipwood’s heavy handed play and Joe Daniher’s uncertainty in front of goal canceling out two assured big wins.
Jarrod Berry and Kai Lohmann, with a neat left-footed strike, put the Lions within a point before the returning Will Ashcroft raced back to level the scores.
Then, when Neill-Bullen was penalized for deliberately taking the ball out of bounds, McCluggage threaded the needle from the boundary to give his side the lead.
Fritsch then pulled back and Melbourne went forward again, but Charlie Cameron gave up a loose ball and ran it out of danger with inspiring fervor to secure victory.
Josh Dunkley had a game-high 32 touches and 10 tackles for Brisbane, while Cam Rayner, Daniher and Cameron kicked two goals each.
– With AAP
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