In a reversal captured during the last quarter of the AFL championship match, the Australian streak ended abruptly. When Aaron Francis and Rory Lobb engaged in a fist-across-throat tussle that brought the game, fans and commentators alike to stunned silence. Their tussle developed deep into the match, which ended in the Western Bulldogs squeezing past the Swans by nine points in a thrilling contest.
As the game escalated physically, Francis and Lobb engaged in a brutal tussle. Commentators soon began to call it a “spot fire.” The spat erupted even as a pitch was incoming and an umpire rushed in to separate the two. The two players were undeterred, rolling all around, still tussling on the asphalt while the game continued around them.
Xander McGuire highlighted the unusual nature of the confrontation, stating, “This is the big one and it leaves you wondering how this even started, because they went straight into it about 100 metres off the ball, and then wouldn’t stop.” He said that their fight was like the famous episode between Danny Frawley and Gary Ablett. James Brayshaw was not the only one to make this comparison.
“Shades of (Danny) Frawley and (Gary) Ablett back in the day,” – James Brayshaw
The violent nature of the match had been obvious before the attack. Earlier in the game, Tom Papley ran through both Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy, laying a couple of massive hits and welcoming everyone to a physical contest. It was enough to send chills down the spine, but Naughton’s bare-chested display during opening quarter only added to the stunning combination atmosphere.
Dale Thomas described the scene vividly, saying, “In the goal square, 100 metres off the play, Lobb and Francis just rolling around like a couple of kids in the sandpit.” He characterized their confrontation as “one of the more bizarre things I’ve seen” on the field. In addition, Matthew Richardson noted that both candidates were tiring themselves in their close fight.
“The only thing that’s achieving for both of them is they’re spending the last of their petrol. They’ll be spent after this,” – Matthew Richardson
Alister Nicholson lauded the game’s general thrill factor. He noted that it had “just about everything,” most notably the pivotal, unforgettable showdown between Francis and Lobb. Tensions ran high from the outset of the match. This confrontation was a reminder of how personal the rivalry had gotten between the two teams.
