Frantic finish typifies new North Melbourne and same old Clarkson | Jonathan Horn

Were Fremantle robbed? Or would it have been grand larceny if the free kick was awarded and they had kicked the set shot?

This week’s column was supposed to be about the Daicos brothers. It was supposed to be a look at how they compare to their dad, what a nightmare they are to clamp down on, and what a joy they are to watch. That all went up the spout on Saturday night, as North Melbourne held off Fremantle in the most unlikely and controversial circumstances imaginable. It’s hard to know where to begin, so I’ll start at the end. Were the Dockers robbed? Or would it have been grand larceny if the free kick had been awarded and they’d kicked the set shot?

Every time an umpire plucks an inexplicable free kick from a ruck contest, I’m reminded that the rules of this sport are a mystery to me. The final seconds at Optus Stadium hammered that home. It felt like it should have been a free kick. And 40,000 Dockers fans, not always the most reliable witnesses, were adamant it was a free kick. But by the letter of the law, the right call was made. And as Alastair Clarkson said: “I think our footy club deserves it just this once.”