A SANFL club defeated in a preliminary final by a team with an extra player has officially protested to league hierarchy.
The Woodville-West Torrens Eagles lost Sunday's preliminary final to North Adelaide by five points.
But North had an extra player on the field for about four minutes of the last quarter, a span in which they kicked 1.2.
Eagles officials complained to a reserve umpire and interchange stewards about North's extra player, a breach that could be penalised by wiping their entire score.
But under SANFL rules, only a captain or acting captain can ask an on-field umpire for a head count of players to officially determine an extra-man breach.
It's understood North called the extra player off the field before the Eagles' captain could ask a field umpire for a head count.
The Eagles sought legal advice and on Monday wrote to the SANFL, expressing disappointment at the controversy.
"During the first four minutes of the final quarter the coaching staff became aware of the fact that North Adelaide had 19 players on the field," the Eagles said in a statement on Monday.
"Several on-ground officials were immediately advised of the discrepancy."
The SANFL said the controversy had been referred to the SA Football Commission, the governing body of the state league.
"(The) commission) will meet this afternoon to be briefed on the matter before deciding on the next step in the process for SANFL to reach an outcome," the SANFL said in a statement.
The extra player was on field amid an extraordinary North comeback after they trailed by 47 points in the third quarter to win and secure a berth in Sunday's grand final against Norwood.
It was the second extra-man furore in an Australian rules final on Sunday.
The NEAFL grand final between Southport and Sydney Swans was stopped and a head count taken early in the last quarter.
Southport, who were 60 points in front at the time, were found to have had 19 players on the field for a 20-second period when neither team scored.
NEAFL officials said in a statement the rule breach had "no material impact on the outcome of the game and the score should stand".
