AFL Takes No Further Action on Afl Hawthorn Collingwood Interchange Error

The AFL will take no further action over the afl hawthorn collingwood interchange error from Hawthorn’s 93-93 draw with Collingwood on April 30. The decision leaves the Round 8 result in place after a disputed rotation count that sparked calls for the match to be overturned.

Gunston And The Final Siren

Greg Swann said the interchange official made the mistake and that Jack Gunston did not enter the field of play before the final siren sounded. Hawthorn’s 76th rotation came just seconds before Dylan Moore kicked a goal after the siren, which pushed the game to the 93-93 finish.

Swann also said the official had Hawthorn on 74 rotations rather than 75. In the AFL’s view, the count used by the league official controlled the interchange process, and Hawthorn were entitled to switch James Sicily with Gunston in the closing moments anyway.

Round 8 Count Dispute

The dispute turned on a simple number: AFL rules allow 75 rotations, but Xander McGuire said Hawthorn were allowed to make 76 changes in the draw. The counting error happened earlier in the first quarter, when Hawthorn made four rotations and the interchange official logged only three.

That sequence became the focus because an interchange infringement normally carries a free kick and a 50m penalty to the other team. Kane Cornes argued Collingwood should protest and said the result should be their win, while the league’s review instead left the draw untouched.

Collingwood’s Two Points

The result keeps the two points from the draw with Hawthorn and Collingwood split on April 30. For Hawthorn, the review ends the immediate pressure over the disputed count; for Collingwood, the push to have the draw replaced by four points went no further after the AFL’s decision.