Fears the bump is officially dead after worst free kick ever seen
As the West Coast Eagles and GWS Giants battled it out, fans watching on were left seething in the latter stages of the second quarter.
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Eagles forward Tyler Brockman wheeled around inside 50 before dishing a handball out in front of Jack Hutchinson.
The ball bounced out in the open with Giants defender Leek Aleer rushing in to stop Hutchinson from snaring the loose ball.
Aleer tucked his right arm in and bumped Hutchinson with a near perfect hip and shoulder that sent the Eagles forward to the turf.
Umpire Alex Whetton however didn't see it that way and blew his whistle, awarding Hutchinson a free kick that resulted in the Eagles third goal of the contest.
Watch the questionable free kick in the video player above
Fans however couldn't believe the whistle had been blown and a free kick awarded for what was a perfectly executed bump.
One wrote on X: 'How is that a free against Leek Aleer how soft is that.'
A second added: 'Wow that was a perfect bump by Leek Aleer yet a biggest sympathy free I've ever seen to Jack Hutchinson.'
A third posted: 'The worst decision of all time? The bump might actually be dead.'
Kane Cornes joined in on the chorus of backlash as he called on the AFL to issue a statement and declare the incorrect decision had been made.
'Leek Aleer executes the most perfect bump you've ever seen and the umpire pays a free kick for too high which costs the Giants a goal,' Cornes said on SEN.
'Now I'm hoping it was just a bad decision, but I have my suspicions that this is the path that we're going to go down where any bump is now illegal.
'We've seen the AFL come out and release statements over poor umpiring decisions before, I want a statement on this one. This should send shudders through the game that we've all loved and the physicality that we've all loved about our game were a perfectly executed bump, when the ball is there. He times it beautifully, the Giants would have run away with the footy instead it's a free kick.
'I want a statement and I want to know if that was just a poor decision or if this is now the way that the game is going.
'I'm worried that we've gone way too far.'
While the Eagles took advantage of the dubious free kick, it was the Giants who proved too strong as they secured a 59-point win.
GWS were on from the opening bounce, slotting their first goal inside 20 seconds before running out 16.15 (111) to 8.4 (52) victors.
The Giants were never challenged in the one-sided contest that was marred by spotfires between GWS players and prized Eagles No.1 pick Harley Reid.
While the win has come at a cost with defender Jack Buckley (ankle) subbed off, the Giants now join the logjam of sides on 10 wins as they slot into the top eight for the time being.
The Eagles on the other hand remain glued to the bottom of the ladder with only one win through 16 matches.
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