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Suns coach backs AFL goal-line technology

Steve LarkinAAP
Mabior Chol had two goals overturned on review in Gold Coast's narrow AFL loss to Port Adelaide.
Camera IconMabior Chol had two goals overturned on review in Gold Coast's narrow AFL loss to Port Adelaide. Credit: AAP

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew remains steadfast in support of the AFL's goal-line audio technology despite it costing his side dearly in a two-point loss to Port Adelaide.

Twice, the Suns' Mabior Chol celebrated goals in Sunday's Adelaide Oval encounter.

And twice, the result of his second-quarter kicks were overturned on review because audio evidence showed both had brushed a goal-post.

On both occasions, the goal umpire's so-called soft signal was a goal.

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Had those calls stood, the Suns would have won, but Dew was pragmatic.

"Technology is here - and for a reason," he said.

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"If I was wearing the opposition colours and you had technology that saw that it hit the post twice, and you lost the game when you're trying to keep your season alive, I think it would be pretty deflating.

"So where we can use it, let's use it ... it is what it is.

"If it's there, we need to use it. You would hate for that to be a final and get it wrong."

The AFL introduced audio technology similar to cricket's 'snicko' in 2019, with microphones implanted in goalposts.

The audio from the microphones is correlated with video feeds to determine if the ball struck a post.

But it was the video feeds in another second-term incident in Sunday's game which raised questions for Power coach Ken Hinkley.

A long-range kick from Port forward Kane Farrell was ruled, on video review, to have been touched on the goal-line by a Suns defender.

Replays showed a fraction of the ball behind the line of the goal-post padding - the entire ball must cross over it for a goal to be scored.

"We felt like we were lucky with their two that hit the post," Hinkley said of Chol's overturned goals.

"But we felt we were real unlucky with the (Farrell) one that looked like it went across the line almost.

"I don't want to show my ignorance but it should be to clear the goal line, but clearly it's the padding on the post."

Hinkley offered a solution: have the goal-line painted on the goal-posts.

"It would be pretty simple if that was what the line is, but it would look a bit strange," he said.

"Clear the goal line, is what it should be. Pretty simple."

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