THE AFL's video review system is set come under more scrutiny after Melbourne was awarded a controversial goal during its eight-point loss to Gold Coast on Sunday.
Replays appeared to show Suns defender Rory Thompson's fist make clear contact with the ball as it dropped towards the goal-line following a set shot from Demon James Frawley in the first quarter.
However the video umpire judged the footage as inconclusive, handing Melbourne its first goal of the game, much to the Suns' players consternation.
Neither Guy McKenna nor Paul Roos said they dwelled on the incident but both agreed that better technology was needed to ensure correct decisions were made.
"I'll tell you the truth, I thought they got a hand on it," Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna said after his side's second ever win at the MCG.
"But how can you see when you're sitting 150m away? I'll always back the defenders to say if they've touched it, they've touched it.
"The next thing I was focusing on was the kick-out structure, I'll be honest, and then there was some moans and groans from the box.
"It was certainly being played – the other coaches watched it – and they had their opinions, which I won't air. But I was more interested on how we were going to set up for our kick-in."
Prior to the start of the season, AFL football operations manager Mark Evans confirmed the League was investigating placing cameras in goal-post padding to provide vision directly across the goal line to improve accuracy.
Evans said trials of that system were likely this year, but they have yet to happen, leaving Melbourne coach Paul Roos confused.
"There was some discussion we were going to have some goal line [cameras] this year so I don't know what happened with that," Roos said after the eight-point loss to the Suns.
"It is what it is. But I guess unless you can get that camera right on the side you're always going to have benefit of the doubt going to the call that the umpire makes."
Aside from his concern over the video review system, Roos also aired his views on the way the game has been altered this season due to several rule changes, describing it as "dramatically different".
New AFL umpiring director Wayne Campbell and umpires coach Hayden Kennedy briefed the clubs and media during the pre-season that this year would see a return to basics when it came to officiating the game.
The pair outlined changes in interpretation to several rules including high tackles, the push in the back and contact in marking duels.
After the opening two rounds free kicks had dropped significantly across the competition with an average of 16.5 free kicks awarded to each side per game - the lowest figure in over a decade.
Melbourne averaged 22.5 free kicks per game in the opening five rounds last season. This season, that figure is down to 18.8.
Roos said he would have liked more clarity on the changes before the season kicked off, an issue he has brought to Campbell's attention.
"It's a dramatically different game now than what it was in the past," Roos said.
"So it would have been nice to probably get a bit more about that going into the season. I think the rules have changed a lot over the break.
"There's just less free kicks, it's a big change. I don't think it's a wrong change but I just think it would have been nice to have a good understanding [of it].
"Very few 50m penalties paid, push in the back doesn't happen anymore when the bloke's on top of the guy on the ground, so it's been a significant change."
Roos said he hadn't necessarily adjusted his coaching strategy to cope with the new interpretations but said he had to carefully consider his instructions to players at stoppages, with fewer free kicks giving rise to more rugby-like scrums during play.
"You've just got to be more aware, certainly players around the clearances and stoppages and contact around where the ball is you need to be super active and really alert," he said.
"A lot of those balls were free kicks last year but now they sort of seem to be spilling out. As I said it's not a wrong thing, it's just different to what it was."
