THE AFL has ticked off the decision to award a down-field free kick to Carlton on Saturday night but conceded Jack Newnes shouldn't have taken the match-winning kick. 

In its weekly football operations review on Monday, the League found that Blue Michael Gibbons should've taken the final kick of the game instead of Newnes.

>> WATCH THE THRILLING FINAL MOMENTS IN THE PLAYER ABOVE 

Newnes, the Blue second closest to the free kick behind Gibbons, booted the winner from beyond the boundary line to sink the Dockers by four points at Optus Stadium. 

In a frantic finish, Docker Matt Taberner tapped a loose ball out on the wing before Andy Brayshaw bumped Sam Docherty as the Blues co-captain kicked the resulting free kick forward which ended out of bounds on the full. 

The down-field free kick ended in a set shot for Newnes deep in the pocket. 

"After review today, both the deliberate out of bounds free kick paid against Fremantle's Matt Taberner and the decision to award a down-field free kick to Carlton's Sam Docherty after he received prohibited contact from Fremantle's Andrew Brayshaw were assessed and warranted as correct decisions," the AFL said in a statement. 

"The review also determined the down-field free kick taken by Carlton's Jack Newnes should have been awarded to Carlton's Michael Gibbons. 

"It is also noted the review allows for a different perspective and additional vision available compared to that of the umpire at the time."