'Given what the AFL have said, that decision was wrong'

AFL greats Wayne Carey, Tim Watson and Brian Taylor have questioned whether the controversial free kick awarded to Luke Shuey in the lead up to his match-winning goal in extra time against Port Adelaide on Saturday should have been awarded.

With West Coast trailing by four points with less than 30 seconds remaining in extra time at Adelaide Oval, Shuey was paid a free kick for high contact then kicked a goal after the siren to secure a stunning AFL elimination final win over the Power.

Port's Jared Polec was adjudged to have infringed when his right arm slipped up around Shuey's neck after initially starting around his bicep area.

A change in interpretation of the high contact rule made by the AFL before the season states a player shouldn't be paid a free if he shrugs, drops his knees, ducks or lifts his arm to bring on the high contact.

And according to Carey, Watson and Taylor, that's exactly what happened.

Speaking on Channel 7's Talking Footy on Monday night, BT rejected the notion that Shuey might have ducked or gone down too easily to draw the free kick, but pointed out the fact that Polec's initial contact hit Shuey in the bicep, before the Eagles star lifted his arm and caused Polec's to slide around his neck.

"He lifted the arm and the tackle slipped down the arm, and that's where it's wrong," BT said.

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The panel used footage a similar incident from the 2016 preliminary final between GWS and Western Bulldogs (which you can watch in the player above), released by the AFL in a DVD at the start of the season, to highlight why the decision was technically wrong.

"This is an example of what would be called play on," panellist Sam McClure said.

"According to the AFL this kind of tackle is reasonable, first point of contact is the bicep/arm, and the player is responsible for high tackle because of the arm shrug."

"It's a very, very similar incident to that of Luke Shuey's."

Watson went one step further: "I would say they're identical."

Carey pointed out the fact that it would have been very hard for umpires under the intense pressure of the do-or-die situation.

"But given what that DVD said there, that was the wrong decision," he added.

The AFL gave the decision its seal of approval on Sunday morning and Power coach Ken Hinkley thought it was there -- but many disagree.

Asked for his thoughts on the subject, Shuey declined to get involved.

"It's not for me to comment on ... I don't need to give an opinion," Shuey told reporters on Sunday afternoon.

"It's irrelevant to us now, we move on and focus on next week."

with AAP