Did this call cost the Giants a spot in the Grand Final?

Greater Western Sydney midfielder Tom Scully should have been awarded a 50 metre in the dying minutes of the Bulldogs' six point win in the preliminary final on Saturday night, according to member of the AFL’s laws of the game committee, Michael Christian.

Christian says Jason Johannisen should have been penalised for breaching the protected zone around GWS midfielder Tom Scully when he was taking a kick in the middle of the ground with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

A 50 metre penalty would have put Scully, who was in the centre square, within scoring range.

The decision to not pay a free kick may have cost the Giants a spot in their maiden Grand Final, with the hosts not scoring another point for the match.

Watch the moment at the 20 second mark of the clip and make up your mind:

“There was a free kick earlier this season paid against Kieren Jack against Hawthorn (in Sydney’s five-point loss to the Hawks in Round 17), and the umpires deemed that was a correct decision,” Christian said on RSN radio on Monday morning.

“Well, if that was a correct decision then this should have been paid a 50m penalty.

“Johannisen started probably 10, 11, maybe 12m — difficult to say — from behind the mark but didn’t make any attempt to veer out to get out of that protected zone,” Christian said.

“It actually impeded Scully’s movement because Scully was wanting to roll on to his left boot and (Johannisen) impeded his movement.”

The Bulldogs, who were up by five points at the time, went on to win by six points, to reach their first Grand Final since 1961.