Is this the ugliest AFL grand final goal ever?
With their backs against the wall very early in the AFL grand final, the West Coast Eagles would’ve taken anything they could get.
Trailing 5.0 (30) to 0.2 (2) in the first quarter, up stepped Willie Rioli with perhaps one of the scrappiest goals you will ever see.
With the ball fumbling about in Collingwood’s goal square, Rioli charged towards the ball and took it over the line with what appeared to be his shin.
The goal umpire initially called it a goal, but it required an official score review to guarantee it.
Following the review, Rioli’s goal was given the all clear, and boy did the Eagles need it.
Fans watching the game were quick to point label it as an ‘accident’ and a ‘fluke’, querying whether an uglier goal had every been scored in grand final history.
Gee whiz. Didn't they need that… #AFLGF
— Paul Jobber 🐓🐓 (@paul_jobber23) September 29, 2018
We'll take it, come on guys fire up #AFLGF
— 🦅 Aaron 🦅 (@okosdehulye) September 29, 2018
That's a goal? Incredible #AFLGF
— Play On (@playonfootypod) September 29, 2018
Miraculously fluky goal from Rioli. My god did the @WestCoastEagles need that. A ray of hope #AFLGF #AFLEaglesPies
— Tim Carrier (@Tim_Carrier) September 29, 2018
They finally get a goal and it was an accident. #AFLGF
— Spidey (@webspinner7) September 29, 2018
#AFLGF total fluke, but the way they're going they'll take it any way they can.
— Mick Jeffrey (@MHJeffrey027) September 29, 2018
Hilarious that the first goal is a player kind of falling over the line. Kind of sums up the Eagles' day. #AFLGF
— MJ Leaver (@MJ_Leaver) September 29, 2018
Despite the manner of the goal, it resurrected a West Coast Side that were outclassed early in the opening quarter – getting them back into the decider.
The Pies led by 17 points at the first quarter break.
