Wayne Carey has blasted fellow AFL great Alex Rance for a diving incident, saying the Richmond star needs to eradicate the habit from his game.

Rance, the AFL’s best key defender, is in the spotlight for an incident in the third quarter of Saturday night’s Dreamtime At The ‘G win over Essendon.

He was in a marking contact with Shaun McKernan when Rance was paid a free kick for a push in the back.

The replay shows Rance clearly milked the contact from McKernan by propelling himself forward.

Carey doubts match reviewer Michael Christian will fine Rance, but has called on the Tigers star not to do it again.

On Saturday, Christian fined Sydney ruckman Callum Sinclair $1000 for staging.

“It’s in a contest so the answer to that (whether Rance is fined) is no, but there’s no doubt Rancey will see that vision and will try to cut that out of his game,” Carey said on Triple M.

“It’s not a good look for him … he’s an absolute star, the best defender of his time right now.

“Doing those types of things just puts a little bit of a stain on what is a glorious career.

“He’s a great bloke, a great person and all those things – he just has to cut that crap out.”

Carey is certain that Rance took a dive.

“If you asked someone to do a Superman impression, that’s exactly what he did,” Roos said.

Former premiership coach Paul Roos said that if Rance was a younger player, there is no doubt a Richmond coach would have a stern word with him.

“If it’s a young person, absolutely, you’re whacking him,” Roos said.

Roos also said it is the first time in his long football career that he has seen a defender dive to that extent.

“Is it smart play? … I’m perplexed,” he said.

Also on Saturday, Hawthorn star Shaun Burgoyne was booked for rough conduct against Port Adelaide’s Jared Polec.