AFL legend Wayne Carey says Fremantle skipper Nat Fyfe was “just an inch” from ending up like West Coast rival Andrew Gaff and serving a lengthy suspension.

Speaking on 7’s Talking Footy, Carey said Fyfe could have “easily” broken Tom Lynch’s jaw during Sunday’s loss to the Tigers – comparing the action to that of Eagle Gaff.

“We have a guy last year, Gaff, who didn’t intentionally try to hit Brayshaw on the jaw,” Carey said.

Camera Icon Nat Fyfe has been cleared for this hit on Tiger Tom Lynch. Credit: 7Sport

“He was trying to hit him in the chest. He accidentally hit him on the jaw, broke his jaw. He missed a Grand Final for that.

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“Nat Fyfe could have broken a jaw there easily… just an inch.”

Luke Darcy weighed in on the debate, saying it was “very hard” to see how Fyfe escaped a penalty from the Match Review process.

“You can tell there was force behind that. That is just very, very lucky,” Carey added.

Match Review officer Michael Christian determined there was insufficient force in the Fyfe hit on Lynch – who returned to the game immediately, but offered North Melbourne youngster Sam Durdin one week for his head clash with Geelong’s Gary Rohan.

A fired up Carey accused the AFL of double standards when it came to former Brownlow Medallists Fyfe and Gary Ablett – who was also cleared.

“It’s because Sam Durdin is a young player trying to make his way… he’s not one of the Brownlow favourites that’s why,” Carey said.

“I’ve said for a long time that if you’re one of the gun players of the competition, and this has been going on for a long time, you will get a little more leniency.

“If that was Durdin doing what Fyfe did, he’d get three weeks.”