Reaction to Collingwood runner Alex Woodward’s AFL grand final gaffe shows why social media is “an absolute nightmare of a system” that ridicules people who don’t deserve it, Jeremy Howe says.

The Magpies defender is still maddened by the misplaced sense of despair etched on the face of Woodward at the MCG on Saturday.

Collingwood went down to West Coast by five points and Woodward felt responsible, having inadvertently blocked the path of youngster Jaidyn Stephenson in one contest.

Stephenson was unable to get to the ball, which lobbed in the lap of West Coast’s Elliot Yeo.

Yeo calmly kicked the result third-quarter goal.

It’s unlikely Stephenson, even if he was unimpeded, would have completed a legal spoil after an errant kick from Taylor Adams.

But that point proved no solace for Woodward, who has been playing for the Pies’ VFL outfit and running messages for their AFL side this year.

Woodward was inconsolable in the MCG rooms, despite coach Nathan Buckley’s best efforts, and remained shattered on Sunday.

“Woody was pretty emotional after the game … social media is an absolute nightmare of a system,” Howe told reporters.

“Because it ridicules people when they shouldn’t be.

“It makes me angry because I love him as a bloke and it’s affected him a fair bit.”

Woodward, whose AFL career at Hawthorn was ruined by four knee reconstructions, is a much-loved figure at Collingwood.

“Woody is one of the nicest, polite, genuine, loving guys I’ve ever met,” Howe said.

“To see him that distraught after a game, that is probably one of the things that got to me.

“We love him as a bloke.

“It had nothing to do with the result. We had plenty of opportunities to get it done. We didn’t.”