AFL umpire Brent Wallace, who paid controversial Cam Rayner free kick, dropped for semi-finals

The AFL umpire who paid the controversial free kick that gifted Brisbane forward Cam Rayner an easy goal against Geelong last week has been dropped for week two of the finals.

Cats forward Tyson Stengle was having a shot for goal the would have put his side 33 points up in the second quarter of their qualifying final against the Lions when Rayner drew an incorrectly paid free kick in the goal square at the other end.

The ball was transferred almost 150 metres away from where Stengle was kicking and Rayner slotted an easy goal from directly in front.

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today

Geelong defender Mark O’Connor had been following Rayner’s every move throughout the game, and the pair were at each other all night.

But it was the view of umpire Brent Wallace that O’Connor had overstepped the mark when he shoved Rayner in the back.

The Lions star fell to the ground despite minimal force in the hit.

Moments later, he was awarded another free kick when Zach Guthrie came in to remonstrate and flattened Rayner again.

The AFL later confirmed the first free kick should not have been paid, but that the second one was correct.

Boos from the Geelong-heavy crowd rained down on Rayner for the rest of the game and the umpires were met with fierce disapproval as they walked off the ground at half-time.

Brent Wallace paid a controversial free kick against Mark O’Connor last Friday night. Credit: Getty

Ultimately it had no major bearing on the result, with Geelong holding strong in the second half to win by 38 points.

With four finals in the first week of September and two in the second, 16 field umpires and four emergencies across the four games must be cut down to eight and two.

Wallace has not been included in either of the semi-finals.

Of the other three field umpires from the Lions-Cats game, veteran Brett Rosebury has been selected for the first semi between Hawthorn and Adelaide, while Brendan Hosking is the emergency for that game, and Jamie Broadbent is the emergency for the second semi between Brisbane and Gold Coast.

Nick Foot, Rosebury, Matt Stevic and Curtis Deboy will officiate the Friday night clash between the Crows and Hawks, while Andrew Stephens, Hayden Meyer, Simon Meredith and Jacob Mollison are the four officials for Saturday night’s game between the Lions and Suns.