GDFNL Seniors · Grand Final · 12 September 2026
East Geelong v Werribee Centrals
East Geelong 8.11 (59)def. Werribee Centrals 8.10 (58)
East Geelong erased an 11-point three-quarter-time deficit and won through Andrew Steel’s behind at approximately 30:50 of the last quarter.
Full four-quarter broadcast reviewed
Watch the complete match broadcastUmpire identification disclaimer. Individual attributions use the supplied reference images, what is visible in the single-camera broadcast and the expected three-umpire rotation. Entries marked “Rotation estimate” are not visually confirmed and should not be treated as definitive personal attribution. The review assesses the visible decision, not an umpire's overall performance.
Overall finding
Bottom line
The broadcast-identifiable free-kick count was Werribee Centrals 19, East Geelong 18. The one-kick differential does not indicate that the eventual winner received a numerical advantage.
Of the 37 confirmed paid frees, 25 appear warranted under the cited law on the available vision, the vision is inconclusive on two, and ten cannot be judged fairly from the broadcast angle. Cannot assess does not mean incorrect.
Werribee received eight of the 12 identifiable fourth-quarter frees. East Geelong nevertheless completed the comeback.
Decision split
Free kicks by umpire
Receiving team is shown below.
Field umpire
Steve G
10identifiable free kicks- Appears warranted
- 4
- Vision inconclusive
- 0
- Cannot assess
- 6
Field umpire
Tim C
10identifiable free kicks- Appears warranted
- 9
- Vision inconclusive
- 1
- Cannot assess
- 0
Field umpire
Jake M
17identifiable free kicks- Appears warranted
- 12
- Vision inconclusive
- 1
- Cannot assess
- 4
Workload
Zone allocation
Jake spent an estimated 62:16 in the Mid Zone, largely because the second and fourth quarters had long periods without a goal.
Steve G
28:11 mid · 88:39 end
Tim C
26:22 mid · 90:27 end
Jake M
62:16 mid · 54:33 end
Mid ZoneEnd Zone
| Umpire | Mid / 60 | End / 60 |
|---|---|---|
| Steve G | 6.4 | 4.8 |
| Tim C | 4.5 | 5.3 |
| Jake M | 12.5 | 4.4 |
Administration
Ball-ups
These counts cover field ball-ups and centre restarts. They are workload figures, not quality scores.
| Umpire | Field | Centre | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steve G | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| Tim C | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| Jake M | 10 | 7 | 17 |
44all ball-ups
Match flow
Quarter-by-quarter
The fourth-quarter free-kick swing brought Werribee from 11–14 down to a 19–18 final count.
| Quarter | Score at break | East frees | Werribee frees | Field ball-ups | Centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Werribee 3.5 (23) – East Geelong 2.3 (15) | 4 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Q2 | Werribee 5.8 (38) – East Geelong 5.5 (35) | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Q3 | Werribee 8.8 (56) – East Geelong 6.9 (45) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Q4 | East Geelong 8.11 (59) – Werribee 8.10 (58) | 4 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
Timestamped evidence
Confirmed paid free kicks
Select a game clock to open the match broadcast approximately 10 seconds before the decision. Marks, ball-ups and uninterrupted play are excluded. Each call is named and referenced against the 2026 AFL Laws of Australian Football; local competition variations are identified separately.
Showing 37 of 37 decisions
| Qtr | Clock | Receiving team | Umpire | Zone | Decision | 2026 AFL Law | Assessment | Review note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 2:17 | East Geelong | Steve GVisual support | Mid Zone | Free Kick After Disposal - infringement not visible | 18.3.3 | Cannot assess | The infringement occurs away from the broadcast focus. |
| Q1 | 2:53 | East Geelong | Tim CVisual support | End Zone | Holding the Ball - Incorrect Disposal | 18.6.3 | Appears warranted | The tackled player loses the ball without a legal disposal. |
| Q1 | 9:50 | Werribee Centrals | Tim CRotation estimate | End Zone | Free Kick After Disposal - Prohibited Contact | 18.3.3 | Appears warranted | Contact arrives after the disposal; the available angle supports protection of the player. |
| Q1 | 17:12 | East Geelong | Tim CRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Free Kick After Disposal - Prohibited Contact | 18.3.3 | Appears warranted | The late bump is partly obscured, but the sequence and reaction support the call. |
| Q1 | 22:03 | East Geelong | Steve GRotation estimate | End Zone | Holding the Ball - Prior Opportunity | 18.6.2 | Appears warranted | The player takes possession, attempts to evade and is caught without a legal disposal. |
| Q1 | 24:47 | Werribee Centrals | Jake MVisual support | End Zone | Running Too Far | 18.13(c) | Appears warranted | A long uninterrupted run without a bounce is visible; the free leads to a Werribee goal. |
| Q2 | 4:34 | East Geelong | Jake MRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Prohibited Contact - Front-on Contact | 18.3.2(k) | Appears warranted | Contact is visible as the East Geelong player contests the ball. |
| Q2 | 6:19 | East Geelong | Jake MRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Last Disposal Out of Bounds | Local competition variation | Appears warranted | The final touch before the boundary is visible; correct if the competition last-touch rule applies. |
| Q2 | 6:48 | East Geelong | Jake MVisual support | Mid Zone | Prohibited Contact - High Contact | 18.3.2(c) | Appears warranted | Contact rides high in the tackle. |
| Q2 | 7:02 | Werribee Centrals | Steve GRotation estimate | End Zone | Free Kick - infringement not visible | Not identifiable | Cannot assess | The recipient is identifiable but the infringement is not clear in the broadcast. |
| Q2 | 12:57 | Werribee Centrals | Tim CRotation estimate | End Zone | Holding the Ball - Prior Opportunity | 18.6.2 | Appears warranted | The East Geelong player takes steps and is caught without a legal disposal. |
| Q2 | 20:59 | Werribee Centrals | Jake MVisual support | Mid Zone | Free Kick - infringement not visible | Not identifiable | Cannot assess | The free is visible, but the cause is outside or obscured by the camera angle. |
| Q2 | 22:10 | East Geelong | Jake MVisual support | Mid Zone | Holding the Ball - Prior Opportunity | 18.6.2 | Appears warranted | The Werribee player takes an extra step and is caught without a legal disposal. |
| Q2 | 25:08 | East Geelong | Jake MRotation estimate | End Zone | Marking Contest - Arm Interference | 18.5.2(c) | Appears warranted | The free is paid before the second grab; the exact contact is partly obscured. |
| Q3 | 2:53 | East Geelong | Steve GVisual support | Mid Zone | Free Kick After Disposal - Holding | 18.3.2(d), 18.3.3 | Cannot assess | The infringement is off the ball and outside the broadcast focus. |
| Q3 | 4:02 | East Geelong | Tim CRotation estimate | End Zone | Holding the Ball - Prior Opportunity | 18.6.2 | Appears warranted | The Werribee player is caught after taking possession and does not dispose legally. |
| Q3 | 6:39 | Werribee Centrals | Steve GRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Free Kick - infringement not visible | Not identifiable | Cannot assess | The recipient can be followed, but the initial infringement is not shown clearly. |
| Q3 | 9:55 | Werribee Centrals | Tim CVisual support | End Zone | Last Disposal Out of Bounds | Local competition variation | Appears warranted | The final touch is visible; correct if the competition last-touch rule applies. |
| Q3 | 15:21 | Werribee Centrals | Jake MRotation estimate | End Zone | Holding the Ball - Prior Opportunity | 18.6.2 | Appears warranted | The player is caught with prior opportunity and does not dispose legally. |
| Q3 | 18:06 | East Geelong | Jake MRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Holding the Ball - Prior Opportunity | 18.6.2 | Appears warranted | The tackle prevents a legal disposal after an opportunity to move the ball on. |
| Q3 | 18:42 | East Geelong | Steve GRotation estimate | End Zone | Out of Bounds - Insufficient Intent | 18.10.2(b) | Appears warranted | The kick travels directly to the boundary without a nearby target. |
| Q3 | 19:03 | Werribee Centrals | Steve GRotation estimate | End Zone | Prohibited Contact - Holding | 18.3.2(d) | Cannot assess | The holding free and resulting Werribee restart are confirmed, but the infringement itself is outside the useful broadcast view. |
| Q3 | 21:41 | Werribee Centrals | Tim CRotation estimate | End Zone | Prohibited Contact - High Contact | 18.3.2(c) | Appears warranted | The tackle makes visible high contact. |
| Q3 | 25:13 | East Geelong | Jake MRotation estimate | End Zone | Recalled Free Kick - infringement not visible | Not identifiable | Cannot assess | Play is recalled, but the original infringement is not visible. |
| Q3 | 27:18 | Werribee Centrals | Tim CRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Prohibited Contact - Holding Off the Ball | 18.3.2(d) | Appears warranted | The restriction before the contest is visible enough to support the call. |
| Q4 | 1:35 | Werribee Centrals | Jake MRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Marking Contest - Prohibited Contact | 18.5.2 | Appears warranted | The Werribee player is contacted while exposed under the ball. |
| Q4 | 3:38 | Werribee Centrals | Jake MVisual support | Mid Zone | Marking Contest - Prohibited Contact | 18.5.2 | Vision inconclusive | Contact is real, but the vision also supports a reasonable view that it was a fair contest. |
| Q4 | 7:50 | East Geelong | Jake MRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Prohibited Contact - Push in the Back | 18.3.2(b) | Appears warranted | Two-handed contact into the back is visible. |
| Q4 | 10:45 | East Geelong | Jake MRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Free Kick - infringement not visible | Not identifiable | Cannot assess | The recipient is clear but bodies obscure the infringement. |
| Q4 | 14:43 | Werribee Centrals | Steve GRotation estimate | End Zone | Prohibited Contact - High Contact | 18.3.2(c) | Appears warranted | The tackle slips high and the player reacts immediately. |
| Q4 | 17:08 | Werribee Centrals | Jake MRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Holding the Ball - Prior Opportunity | 18.6.2 | Appears warranted | The East Geelong player is caught and does not complete a legal disposal. |
| Q4 | 20:20 | Werribee Centrals | Tim CRotation estimate | End Zone | Holding the Ball - Prior Opportunity | 18.6.2 | Vision inconclusive | The ball may have been handballed as the tackle completed; the available vision does not resolve the disposal clearly. |
| Q4 | 20:57 | Werribee Centrals | Tim CRotation estimate | End Zone | Out of Bounds On the Full | 18.10.2(a) | Appears warranted | The kick crosses the boundary on the full. |
| Q4 | 22:07 | East Geelong | Jake MVisual support | Mid Zone | Free Kick - infringement not visible | Not identifiable | Cannot assess | The free is paid and leads into East Geelong’s goal, but the infringement is obscured. |
| Q4 | 26:04 | Werribee Centrals | Steve GVisual support | End Zone | Out of Bounds On the Full | 18.10.2(a) | Appears warranted | The East Geelong kick crosses the boundary on the full. |
| Q4 | 28:42 | East Geelong | Steve GRotation estimate | End Zone | Free Kick - infringement not visible | Not identifiable | Cannot assess | The free is clear, but the precise infringement cannot be established from the angle. |
| Q4 | 30:09 | Werribee Centrals | Jake MRotation estimate | Mid Zone | Last Disposal Out of Bounds | Local competition variation | Appears warranted | The final kick before the boundary is visible; correct if the competition last-touch rule applies. |
Method, rotation assumptions and limitations
Source: manual review of the public single-camera YouTube footage from the first bounce to the final siren. Broadcast commentary, captions and crowd reaction were not used. Decisions were identified from the on-field passage of play, whistle, umpire control and ensuing restart.
Umpire tracking: Steve begins in the Mid Zone, Tim at the physical left end and Jake at the physical right end. Names then follow the expected three-umpire scoring rotation, including Werribee’s post-siren third-quarter goal. The ledger distinguishes visually supported identifications from rotation estimates.
Zones: Mid Zone is between the 50-metre arcs; End Zone is either area inside a 50-metre arc. Time measures the allocated role between scoring restarts, not GPS position.
Assessment: appears warranted means the vision provides a reasonable basis under the cited law; vision inconclusive means the footage supports more than one credible interpretation; cannot assess means the angle does not permit a fair finding. Cannot assess does not mean incorrect. Marks and sequences that cannot be distinguished from marks are excluded.
Laws: terminology and references use the 2026 AFL Laws of Australian Football. A controlling body may apply approved competition variations, so GDFNL-specific conditions remain relevant, particularly for Last Disposal Out of Bounds.