Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett believes the AFL's deliberate rushed behind rule needs a lighter penalty following a controversial call in the Dreamtime at the 'G match on Saturday night.

In the closing stages of the second quarter, Richmond's Jayden Short was chasing down a ball kicked at goal from Bomber James Stewart, and was leading Essendon's Josh Green in a foot race to the ball.

Anticipating Short's next move, Green slammed on the brakes and let Short rush the ball over the line without any physical pressure, prompting the umpire to penalise Short for the deliberate act.

The decision angered not only Richmond supporters but football fans in general, as many experts slammed the decision, saying the call didn't take the situation of the game into account.

For KB's take on Monday, he slammed the rule for confusing players, suggesting defenders are struggling to understand when they can and can't rush the ball through, with the wrong decision often resulting in a goal to the opposition.

"Common sense should tell us that Short had every reason to believe he was under physical pressure from the presence of Green breathing down his neck," Bartlett said on Hungry for Sport on Monday morning.

"The players are so confused with this rule and what pressure is any more that young Essendon defender Andy McGrath, when only centimetres from the goal line with players all around him, handballed wildly back into play instead of rushing a behind.

"For he didn’t have faith in what the umpires call would be and of course it cost Essendon a goal."

Bartlett went on to suggest the AFL should adopt a different penalty for the free kick, and said they should revert back to something they trialled during this season's JLT Community Series.

"It seems the simplest remedy for this lack of common sense and total confusion is that when a deliberate rushed behind is paid, it stands as a point and then the ball is bounced five metres from the top of the square," Bartlett said.

"With that, everyone, players, spectators and umpires would all be on the same page and not confused."