Karma catches up with Wallace
Mike Sheahan | April 24, 2008
GUESS who exaggerated an injury to allow a teammate to take the resultant free kick for goal in a Grand Final? One Terry 'Plough' Wallace, that's who.
The Richmond coach came clean yesterday, confirming he had allowed Hawthorn teammate Leigh Matthews to take a free kick awarded to him in the first quarter of the 1983 Grand Final because Matthews was a superior kick.
"I was basically told to stay down after the incident to allow Leigh to take the kick," Wallace said.
"When you suddenly have a choice in the matter, given the way Matthews kicked and the way Wallace kicked, what would you do?
" 'Barney' kicked it; you knew when he took the kick off you, he wasn't going to let you down. That's why I should know about these sorts of things, Related LinksVideo: Tigers celebrate 100 years
" Wallace added, referring to the consequences and kerfuffle after Western Bulldog Brian Lake limped off Telstra Dome after taking a mark in the final minute of Sunday's game against Richmond.
With Lake apparently indisposed, Will Minson took the kick and responded with the goal that drew the game.
There was/is widespread suspicion Lake had faked a hamstring strain and much subsequent confusion as to how Wallace felt about what happened.
So much so, he contacted his old club this week.
"I rang 'Rocket' (Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade) and said, 'These things can get out of control. Make sure you let Brian know we've got no problems at all'."
Wallace said his disappointment was based on finishing with only a draw from a game in which his team led by 19 points with 3min 20sec to play.
He said he actually got a laugh out of Lindsay Gilbee's dash from so far away in the hope of taking the kick.
It reminded him of Matthews in 1983.
"That was as quick as I've ever seen 'Barney' run," Wallace said.
"I'd been whacked by Steve Carey (Essendon), copped one in the eye.
"It was an old-fashioned round arm, one of those 'welcome to the Grand Final' ones.
"I had a decent 'mouse' and the next kick I had, I nearly missed my foot. I would have been OK (to take the free kick), but, when you have no real choice in the matter, what do you do?
"It was on the boundary line. What would you do?" He had a good point.
"Not a hope in Hades," Wallace said when asked if he might have kicked the goal.
He had been "a bit wobbly" for a couple of minutes, but didn't leave the field for treatment that day.
Wallace, though, was extraordinarily tough.
The Hawks won the Grand Final by 83 points.
His only complaint from Sunday's events was the umpires' decision to allow Minson to take the kick, which was an error as there were two Bulldogs closer to the Lake mark.
"I was probably hoping that (Cameron) Wight got it. He's relatively inexperienced and mostly plays back."
Karma, Plough, karma.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23589747-19742,00.html
