Jack Newnes probably never thought his name would be mentioned in the same sentence as Australian Football Hall of Fame legend Malcolm Blight.
But the pair are now inextricably linked in the history of the game after the Carlton forward’s after-the-siren heroics in a heart-stopping four-point win over Fremantle on Saturday night.
Newnes’ free kick from 50m out on the boundary line with a wet ball split the middle to seal a remarkable Blues victory at Optus Stadium.
Social media lit up as the difficulty level of the former St Kilda player’s kick drew instant comparisons with a series of similar shots throughout AFL/VFL history.
Gary Buckenara’s 1987 preliminary final goal, Ashley McGrath’s in the ‘Miracle on Grass’ and Robbie Gray’s effort earlier this season were all thrown up as contenders.
But only Blight’s monster barrel for North Melbourne against Carlton in 1976 appeared to be unanimously rated higher than Newnes’ goal for sheer difficulty of the task.
The latter was shrouded in controversy, which only added to the theatre and ensured it will be remembered for decades to come.
There was debate over whether the Blues’ free kick – paid down-field after Fremantle midfielder Andrew Brayshaw’s late collision with Sam Docherty – should have been awarded in the first place.
Then there was the theory that Michael Gibbons should have taken it, as he was closest to where Docherty’s kick went out of play.
“Gibbo’s eyes lit up but the umpire gave it to me. I asked the cameraman to move and he gave me donuts,” Newnes told ABC radio.
“A few of the boys ran over and said, ‘Mate, there’s 10 seconds left, have the shot’.
“I was gonna pass it before they said that.
“It all kinda worked out just perfectly. All I was worrying about was making good contact with the footy.”
The win put Carlton within sight of the top-eight, and they dedicated the result to Henry Gardner after the death of the long-time Ikon Park maintenance manager.
“It was a really important victory for us,” Newnes said.
“We really needed to win that game and I’m just so excited.
“We wore black armbands for ‘H’ (Gardner), and that one was for him.”
Carlton’s finals credentials go on the line again in a clash with Gold Coast on Friday night in Darwin.
“We’re both in a similar position so we’ll be giving everything for that one,” Newnes said.