Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick called the paid free kick against his young defender Mac Andrew, leading to the Decisive goal for the Saints on Saturday nightas “unjustified.”
Andrew did an excellent job of limiting Max King’s influence for most of the game at Marvel Stadium, but with just over three minutes remaining, he was controversially penalized for keeping King on top of the St Kilda, very far from the ball.
Although it appeared that both players were hugging, Andrew was the one who was punished. He gave King a rare shot on goal directly from in front, and it ended up being the final score in the Saints’ exciting three-point victory.
“In my opinion, it was clearly an unjustified free kick,” Hardwick said after the game.
‘Those guys are fighting all day. The referee calls him. That’s your job. But for mine it is unjustified.
Damien Hardwick (pictured) left frustrated after a controversial free kick
‘There will be contact, and incidental contact, from time to time.
‘It is a challenge. “The game is incredibly difficult and we understand that, but as long as they (the referees) are consistent, that’s all we ask.”
Hardwick agreed Andrew would likely be left devastated by the match-defining incident in what was a dour affair that only produced 14 goals in total.
“You overcome obstacles and you will learn from them, you will improve,” Hardwick said.
“But when two guys go up against each other, one grabs and the other grabs, it’s like, well, where are you going?
“He (the referee) was probably just looking at one person trying to award the free kick and it was the defender, that’s life.” We continue.’
The Suns had a chance to crack the top four this weekend if they beat the bottom-four Saints, but their quest for legitimacy on the road continues. Gold Coast have lost their last 13 away games.
“We had a chance to take a step forward and we didn’t,” Hardwick said.
With just over three minutes remaining, Mac Andrew was controversially penalized for keeping Max King at the top of the St Kilda goal, too far from the ball.
Max King converted from the right front moments later
‘It was an opportunity that we missed and it’s frustrating.
“Winning games away from home is difficult. With our level of maturity, and I’m reluctant to say this, because we choose to be young, but we are young, if that makes sense. We have to improve in that situation.
“We have to understand that an away game, the crowd, all that kind of stuff, it’s a cauldron-like atmosphere that we have to sit there and accept.” You can’t shy away from that kind of thing.’
As for the game itself, Hardwick described it as “terrible” and “awful,” and understandably so.
Aside from the exciting finish, the competition was certainly not a time capsule and featured poor skills from both teams.
“To be honest, it’s not a game I like,” Hardwick said.
‘It was 125 uncontested points (for Gold Coast) going backwards, sideways. We couldn’t find a way through.
‘Credit where it’s due. They defended very well. It’s a different defense than we’ve faced before.
‘We kind of knew it was going to happen, but we just didn’t handle it very well.
‘The saints simply strangled us. They did a good job and got the game on their terms… that’s what (St Kilda coach) Ross (Lyon) does very, very well.
‘It is one of its strengths and we knew it was going to be like this. We’ll be better next time, but it’s frustrating when a game slips away.
‘We should have done it, we could have done it, but we didn’t win. “We had our chances late, but we have to be better and more mature.”
Hardwick was furious about the free throw he cost his Suns
Hardwick was one of the loudest voices calling for a change in the interpretation of holding the ball and after getting his wish two weeks ago, and after some initial problems, the Suns coach is confident the sport will be better for the players. more strict. version of the long-term standard.
“Players will adapt accordingly and improve,” Hardwick said.
“As long as we’re consistent and we pay them consistently, I think everything will be fine.”