‘I didn’t even think’: Cheeky Bomber steals teammate’s goal … who wasn’t happy

The Bombers stormed into a big 29-point Friday night win over the Western Bulldogs, but they might have missed a trick when Jake Stringer nicked a goal off a teammate.

A curious moment late in the third term of Friday night’s game against the Western Bulldogs between Jake Stringer and Kyle Langford caught the eye of Fox Footy pundits.

Stringer drew a free kick at full forward, however Langford took the advantage and kicked the goal despite Stringer standing in front of him in the goalsquare asking for a handball.

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Of course, while it mattered not to the final result, Stringer is such a “confidence player” – as put by Demons great Lyon – plus he was the one who drew the free kick in the first place.

Stringer looked far from pleased that he didn’t get to kick the goal he probably felt he deserved.

But luckily the pair were able to laugh about it on the field after the match, with Langford saying: “I didn’t even think. I just saw the goal and thought ‘kick it’.”

He added: “I’ll probably give him the next one.”

Stringer joked to Fox Footy afterwards: “I worked hard for it mate. I got a free kick and thought I was a chance for a little one on the goal line, they don’t come that easy!”

Nevertheless, Lyon said on Fox Footy: “You (Nathan Buckley) and I were sitting here watching this and we were laughing! Stringer gets the advantage, he’s a confidence player, he’s a momentum player.

“Should Langford have handballed the ball to stringer?”

Buckley responded: “I believe he should have. He (Langford) was looking behind, he heard the play-on call, he wasn’t involved in the initial contest. His teammate’s calling for it – and he’s calling for it for a good reason because he’s in best position at the time.

“I think it’s an opportunity missed. I think it’s just a chance to feed into that teammanship. I think Kyle Langford’s been one of the more selfless Bombers that I’ve seen.”

Lyon added: “He’s played well tonight … but there’s a psychology to it! The psychology is – I look at my teammate, I know that he’s a confidence player. I know when he gets up he’s good for us. He won the free kick, I’ve got the ball, it’s better off giving it to him.”

Buckley said: “You don’t even have time to think about all of that. It’s just ‘it’s our goal, not my goal. You’ve earned it, so here it is.’”