Gillon McLachlan says umpires are not to blame for Hawthorn’s win over Sydney

Gillon McLachlan sympathises with Sydney after a tough loss to Hawthorn, but says umpires are not to blame. 

The Hawks ‘won’ the free kick count 15-9 and kicked two pivotal goals in the second half from contentious 50m penalties.

The hashtag #FreeKickHawthorn once again went viral as supporters vented their frustration on social media.

But while McLachlan acknowledged the inequality in the stats, he told Neil Mitchell Sydney only had themselves to blame.

‘It’s tough to take as a supporter and a coach,’ he said on Friday.

‘But if you looked at them (50m penalties), they were clearly there. I don’t think anyone’s disputing the fifties.’

Click play to watch Gillon in studio with Neil Mitchell

McLachlan said the Hawks are ‘freaks’ and is intrigued to see how far the ageing list can go.

‘If they can win four in a row, there is a story in that that I think will be captivating.’

Click play to hear the full interview