The controversial incident. Scott Thompson (left) prepares to mark after bumping Oscar McInerney. Picture: CHANNEL 7

There was no shortage of talking points this football weekend.

Hawthorn threw a major spanner in the works when it spoiled old rival Geelong’s 160th birthday celebrations, and St Kilda gave itself a much-needed lift with a win in Brett Ratten’s first game in charge.

Richmond continued to build steam in its march towards September, Xavier Duursma pulled out the bow-and-arrow, and Jeremy Howe took a ride on Jeremy Cameron, who increased his lead in the Coleman Medal race.

Two finals-bound sides – Greater Western Sydney and Essendon – stood up in the face of mounting injury tolls to post significant wins against well-credentialed opponents, and the Carlton revival continued under David Teague.

But when the biggest talking point of all is an umpiring controversy, there is a problem.

It transpired at the Gabba, where two poor decisions in the dying stages of the Brisbane-North Melbourne thriller caused all sorts of dismay amongst a bewildered AFL fan base.

Ben Brown was gifted a go-ahead goal for the Kangaroos when Oscar McInerney was ruled to have infringed at a ruck contest.

It got worse when the ‘Big O’ got one back at the other end, as Scott Thompson’s perfectly-timed nudge in a marking contest close to goal was deemed to be illegal use of his body.

McInerney’s resulting match-winning major came with 70 seconds left on the clock, and the immediate response on social media almost blew up the internet. Current and past players joined fans and media in the chorus of disenchantment, with Patrick Dangerfield and Steven May among those to voice their disapproval.

Rhyce Shaw managed to bite his tongue, declaring post-match that he was “not sure that I understood” the crucial decision.
The AFL, to its credit, responded swiftly and conceded an error in penalising Thompson for his superior bodywork.

But it was of no consolation to North Melbourne, which saw its finals hopes all but dashed; nor to Shaw, who is trying to make his mark in an audition for the full-time coaching role.

Later on Saturday night, Fremantle defender Ethan Hughes got away with ducking into a tackle from Sydney’s Will Hayward with a minute left on the clock as the umpires put the whistle away.

The Dockers hung on to end a four-match losing streak as a tense finish proved the proverbial lipstick on a pig of a game marred by skill errors in slippery conditions. And Ross Lyon kept the wolves at bay and took an unveiled swipe at his critics after a narrow one-point win.

It’s a fine line between success and failure in football, and fortunes can turn quickly. Just look at the ladder.

Who would’ve thought at the start of the season that we’d approach the end of July with Brisbane sitting second and Melbourne second from bottom? Adelaide, meanwhile, is in danger of slipping out of the top eight. The Crows were stoned on their home deck by Essendon, which posted arguably its best win of the past decade.

This column suggested last month that some commentators might have gone early in calling for John Worsfold’s head. Four wins later, his Bombers are flying.

Friday night seems like a lifetime ago after a full round of nine matches, but the latest Essendon triumph was one the red-and-black faithful will savour for a long time.

The Bombers came from five goals down away from home and kicked 10 goals to three after half-time in a 51-point turnaround, despite missing injured trio Michael Hurley, Orazio Fantasia and Tom Bellchambers, as well as long-term absentees Devon Smith and Joe Daniher. Skipper Dyson Heppell was sore but led from the front, Dylan Shiel and Zach Merrett were superb, and running defender Adam Saad claimed another scalp.

Mitch Brown’s four goals were crucial, and Connor McKenna’s little “solo-meets-dummy” move to sidestep Lachlan Murphy is being replayed on loop. Has the Irishman’s party trick got a name yet? It needs one.

The result cast questions over Adelaide, which is clinging precariously to eighth spot. Don Pyke needs to find a way to reignite the spark in veteran duo Tex Walker and Eddie Betts, though they aren’t the only Crows struggling for form.

If the Bombers made a big statement, GWS matched it.

Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly, Phil Davis and Callan Ward watched from the stands as former bad boy Toby Greene took the reins as captain in a dominant win over Collingwood.

Cameron’s six goals gave him 54 for the year, and while he won’t go anywhere near the century mark that many predicted under the new 6-6-6 rules, he is a near certainty to top the charts.

With Cameron stationed alongside fellow talls Harry Himmelberg and Jeremy Finlayson, the Giants have a dangerous triumvirate of attacking targets that will strike fear into opposition defenders.

Richmond, too, has a forward line capable of tearing games to shreds as Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt continue to send out warning signals.

The pair have played together five times for a return of four wins since Lynch’s arrival at Punt Road. And the Tigers, who limped into their mid-season bye with three successive defeats, have now won four straight for the first time this season. Beware in September.

Hawthorn could be there, too, if its dismantling of ladder leader Geelong is any sort of guide.
Dashing defender Jarman Impey sustained a suspected serious knee injury, but Mitch Lewis and Tim O’Brien stood tall in attack with three goals each as the Cats wasted a string of chances to claw their way back into the contest in the second half.

It left the door open for West Coast, which fought off a dogged Melbourne in Alice Springs to move within a win and percentage of top spot.

As September approaches, one thing is for sure: It’s bloody tough to pick the flag winner from here.