RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick refused to criticise the umpires for paying a controversial deliberate rushed behind free kick against Tigers defender Jayden Short just before half-time on Saturday night at the MCG. 

The free kick was paid against Short after he won a foot race from 50 metres out to just metres from the goal line against Essendon's small forward Josh Green as the loose ball tumbled towards goal.

When Short slid into the ball and forced it across the line he was just a couple of metres ahead of Green who had given up the chase.

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However, umpire Curtis Deboy decided it was a deliberate rushed behind and paid a free kick to Green, much to Hardwick's disbelief at the time as he was seen throwing his head back in the coaches box.

The resultant goal gave the Bombers the lead at half-time.

However, post-game, with the win in his hands, Hardwick was in a forgiving mood saying he suspected the umpire merely made an error.

"I think they made a mistake, end of story. That's it for mine," Hardwick said.

"It's tough. They have got a tough gig. You have got 85,000 people yelling one way or another. I guarantee you I would rather be playing than umpiring. They do a pretty good job."

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Hardwick was asked how it compared with a controversial decision in round two when Sydney Swans' defender Callum Mills was penalised against the Western Bulldogs when he bashed the ball through the goals without being under obvious pressure.

"I am probably not there to judge, I'll let them clarify that. As long as they have got a fair understanding of what the rule is there, that will be fine," Hardwick said. 

However, Essendon coach John Worsfold said he thought the decision was consistent with the direction the AFL had given before the season.

"The rule was if you rush it from outside the goalsquare, it's a free kick, (and) if you rush it from inside the goalsquare you have to be under physical pressure, which means a hand on you I'd assume, not perceived pressure," Worsfold said.

He said the decision had an effect on his team with Andy McGrath not rushing a ball in the third quarter when he should have forced it through, which enabled Tigers star Dusty Martin to kick a snap goal.

"We'll clarify it with our players exactly what the rule is," Worsfold said.