The AFL score review system has been savaged after it plunged into the depths of farce when St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall was given a shot for goal nearly one minute after play had been allowed to continue during Sunday’s win over West Coast.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera missed his shot for goal midway through the second quarter and the goal umpire paid a behind despite Marshall claiming he had taken the mark. The umpires didn’t call for a score review and West Coast played on after the behind.

Play continued for almost a minute before the umpires stopped play. West Coast moved the ball to the wing during that time, a boundary throw had taken place and the ball was back in general play.

But the umpires stopped the game and took it back to the goal line because the score reviewers notified them that they felt Marshall controlled the ball inside the field of play.

They gave him a set shot for goal which he converted and added the lost time back on the clock.

“Seriously?” commentator Ben Dixon said.

“Are you kidding me? If you’re going to call it, you’ve got to call it. You’ve got at least 15-20 seconds to recognise it on the kick out.

“They should have 30 seconds or 45 seconds and then it should be done. Let it go.“

Making matters worse, vision didn’t show a clear mark to Marshall and commentators continued to debate whether it was even a correct decision.

“It’s over the line!” Dixon screamed.

“It looked like it was controlled over the line. To pull the play back? I can’t believe that. That’s embarrassing.”

Former Geelong star Cameron Mooney called it “farcical.”

“That is a ‘mare of a decision,” he said.

Commentator Dwayne Russell summed up the moment perfectly.

“That is as bizarre as we’ve ever seen AFL football played,” he said.

St Kilda led by 16 points when the game was halted. But they took over form that moment to open up a 40-point lead at half-time.

West Coast coach Andrew McQualter questioned why the call was made given vision wasn’t conclusive.

“I think if they’re going to do it, it’s got to be clear cut. They’ve got to get it right. If it’s touch and go, I would think you’re not changing the game or the flow of a game to make a decision like that,” he said.

But St Kilda coach Ross Lyon offered some support for the reviewers, saying they were doing their best to make an accurate call.

“In the context of the game trying to be shortened, I’m not sure it satisfies that criteria. But I think it is best intentions. When people have the best intentions, I don’t think we should undermine it,” he said.