AFL FOOTBALL operations boss Mark Evans says the emergency umpire incorrectly blew his whistle that saw play halted in the dying minutes of the Brisbane Lions-Sydney Swans clash last Sunday.
With the ball being contested inside the Lions' forward 50, umpires stopped play to allow Sinclair, who was clutching his knee in pain more than 100m from the action, to be taken off under the stretcher rule.
Without the stretcher in sight, he then hobbled from the ground, and play resumed with a ball-up.
Evans said the emergency umpire was at fault, saying he "should never blow the whistle" in the first place.
"The biggest issue for us is that it was an error from our emergency umpire, who blew the whistle to say that the stretcher was coming on the field," Evans told Fox Footy on Monday night.
"Once the controlling umpire hears that, he then stops play (but) there's no need to stop play unless the ball is actually going to the injured player or to the stretcher carriers.
"Other than that, we would just normally stop it when the ball goes out of bounds … or when a mark's taken, or a free kick would be the only time the play stops."
Evans said the League was continuing to investigate the incident after Lions coach Justin Leppitsch questioned the timing of the decision following his side's three-point loss.
"We've had some contact with the Swans today and we'll go through that over the next day or so," Evans said.
Earlier on Monday, the Brisbane Lions said they were happy to move on after the AFL admitted umpires made an error.
Lions CEO Greg Swann said the club now had some clarity after the AFL confirmed it was a mistake to stop play with Swans ruckman Callum Sinclair more than 100m from the action.
"You'd hate to see that happen in a Grand Final, but at least there's some clarity around it now," Swann said.
"We accept it now and move on.
"We thought they got it wrong, it doesn't help us now, but let's hope it doesn't again."
Swann said it wasn't solely responsible for costing the Lions victory.
The incident came with three minutes remaining and the Swans leading by three points.
"After reviewing what occurred, it was the AFL view that play was incorrectly stopped in this scenario," AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said.
"The umpire has the discretion to stop continuous play when it may interfere with an injured player or the persons attending an injured player.
"This was not the case here with play at the opposite end to the ground to the injured player.
"When a stretcher is on the ground or has been called for, play will be stopped at the next break in play – at the next mark, ball up, out of bounds, free kick – but again this was not the case in this instance.
"The decision to stop play at the time it was stopped was an error."
Leppitsch spoke to officials post-match and was still fuming in his press conference.
"We're three points down with a live ball in our forward 50 and they can get 18 players down there," he said.
"Can we use it as a tactic, now, can we? I don't know.
"I suppose I've asked some questions to get some answers but I'd be highly disappointed if it was used as a tactic when a bloke's gone down with assumedly cramp, after tripping over his own feet, and a runner's called for a stretcher because they're down in numbers late in the game.
Callum Sinclair grabs his knee in pain against the Lions. Picture: Getty Images
