SYDNEY SWANS coach Paul Roos has rejected suggestions to introduce technology for close goal-line decisions, despite Sunday’s thrilling draw with North Melbourne at Telstra Dome coming down to a game of inches.
Swans co-captain Brett Kirk had a shot at goal with just over a minute remaining, but his left-foot snap from 25m was touched right on the line.
Many Swans supporters believed the shot carried the full distance.
The Swans coach had certainly received that feedback, although he wasn’t going so far as saying the goal-line decision was wrong.
“Look I didn’t see it, I’m just saying what people are saying out there,” Roos said after the match.
“I spoke to my wife, she thought it was a goal.
“She saw it on telly and the commentators thought it was a goal, but I haven’t seen it … that’s just one incident in a game.”
The Swans fought back from a 17-point deficit in the final term to snatch two premiership points, finishing 8.16 (64) to North Melbourne’s 9.10 (64).
The result was the second drawn match at the ground in a week.
Just seven days earlier, Richmond’s Matthew Richardson was awarded a mark on the same goal line against the Western Bulldogs but later admitted he believed the ball had carried the line – a decision which might have cost the Bulldogs in the wash-up.
However despite a couple of tight calls in consecutive weeks, Roos says introducing technology would “slow the game up”.
“Now with the quick kick-in, with the goal umpire just having to signal [before a player is able to kick in], it’d slow the game down,” Roos said.
“The AFL has done everything to quicken the game up, [so] I would think to bring that in would sort of go against what they’ve tried to do with the game itself."
Roos was happy his side was able to fight its way back and earn two premiership points. He said he supported the draw, and wouldn’t like to have to send his players out for extra-time in a bid to induce a result.
Roos said players such as Amon Buchanan, Tadhg Kennelly and Michael O’Loughlin had helped the Swans lift when they needed it late in the final term, while he was also far happier with the return from star Adam Goodes – whom he last week singled out after struggling against Geelong.
“I thought he was very good,” Roos said.
“You really could see early, he was up and going, he was making a tremendous effort to run. When he went forward, he kicked a couple of goals as well.
“That was certainly a lot more like we know 'Goodesy' can play.
“Obviously we want to get him in some sort of form as well. So hopefully, in that regard, today’s … a watershed for him.”