Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd has slammed the efforts of Fremantle‘s Rory Lobb, saying teammate Heath Chapman’s goal-line save rescued more than just the match for the Dockers.
In the most memorable moment of AFL’s Round 1, second-year player Chapman secured a one-point win for the Dockers over the Crows with an unbelieve last-ditch lunge to punch the ball away from the goal.
As footage of Chapman’s incredible defensive work aired on Footy Classified, Lloyd said: “He did this, something amazing. Just to think through this, I’m not sure players with 200 more games experience could have thought to do that.”
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“He looked down, he’s had a split second to see two Fremantle players are down there.
“What he would have done if there was two Adelaide players or two Fremantle and one Adelaide, I don’t know what he would have done.
“But he saved a player for mine.”
Lloyd went on to explain why Chapman had saved more than just the result, requiting teammate Lobb’s critical error moments earlier.
With three minutes left in the final term, Lobb had a moment he’d like to forget when he failed to spoil a high-ball mark by bursting through.
“I thought, he’s in trouble here Dawson, he’s (Lobb) going to come through, get the ball to ground and take Dawson with him,” said Lloyd.
“But gee Chapman saved him.”
As the league’s third highest contested mark taker in 2020 and with 120 games experience, Lloyd said the tall forward needed to step up for his club.
“If they are going to go anywhere, Rory Lobb has to become a player- he’s been around too long to make efforts like that.”