Footy great Wayne Carey switches codes and promotes State of Origin after being left disgusted by huge AFL controversy

North Melbourne great Wayne Carey has been left so furious by two controversial decisions at the AFL tribunal that he has promoted State of Origin as a better game to watch than Aussie Rules.

The 53-year-old was reacting to the decision to uphold bans on Brisbane's Charlie Cameron and GWS's Toby Bedford for what many fans and experts believe are legal tackles.

Those rulings have caused uproar in the AFL community, with legends and fans expressing their confusion with the rulings. 

Carey lashed out in a series of tweets after the decisions were made, beginning with: 'Charlie C gets 3 weeks for a tackle in that way is an absolute joke !! AFLPA do something please #bulls**t'.

He then followed up with, 'Bedford had better get off or game is stuffed', followed by, 'Bring on State of Origin.. It hasn't lost its DNA'.

It was an eye-opening statement coming from one of the AFL's biggest names - and he was far from alone in lashing out over the tribunal's decision.

Sydney Swans hero Jude Bolton posted on X: 'FFS. 3 weeks! Seriously… where are we at?'

ABC broadcaster Clint Wheeldon went further, describing the ban as a 'disgrace'.

The footy world was equally enraged by Bedford's ban, with his GWS Giants teammate Lachie Whitfield saying: 'I just don't know any more what to do. It's very, very confusing. We're all a bit shocked by the three weeks… I was honestly astonished. There's only so much you can do.'

Former Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes took a similar tone to Wheeldon, labelling the Bedford suspension 'disgraceful'.

GWS and Brisbane have announced they will take the cases to the AFL Appeals Board.

During both hearings on Tuesday night, the AFL's lawyer Lisa Hannon argued Cameron and Bedford should have released the arms of their opponents and been more careful when tackling.

'The fact Cameron's foot may've become entangled with Duggan's was entirely foreseeable and not an exceptional circumstance in a close up tackle,' said Hannon, who also told Bedford he should have acted in similar fashion.

Cameron's Lions teammate Josh Dunkley and Bedford's Giants captain Toby Greene both expressed their bewilderment at the respective suspensions.

'When I first saw it, I was standing next to (Richmond's) Nathan Broad and having a discussion about it, we saw the replay and thought if Tim's concussed then they might give it a week and then you'd probably challenge it,' Greene told Fox Footy.

''Once he got three weeks, it doesn't seem right to me, he's making a legitimate play.

'I feel like this is overstepping the mark.

'This is a tackle that you're going to see in AFL footy for the next 50 years.

'If you eradicate this, you're just going to have to tackle standing up.'

Under AFL rules, the Lions and GWS could argue there was an error of law during the tribunal hearing, that the decision was unreasonable or that the classification of the offence or sanction imposed were manifestly excessive.