COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley is confused by rules surrounding the bump but AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan is happy with the way the new Match Review system is working.

Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas was cited for a hit on Essendon's Zach Merrett in round one, and while the Crow appealed his one-match suspension, the AFL Tribunal upheld the ban on Tuesday night. 

Merrett missed the rest of the game after being caught high by Douglas late in the first quarter. 

Speaking on SEN on Wednesday, Buckley said the ruling placed players in a tough spot every time they ran onto the field.

"I would hate to be a player at the moment," he said.

"The same (bumping) action could be (deemed as) play on, great play, win the ball and give your side a chance to move forward, or (it could get you) three or four weeks.

"They’re the same action and depending on an inch here or an inch there, five degrees this way, ten degrees that way by the opposition player then all of a sudden you have a duty of care about.

"I find that really difficult to comprehend.

"They can’t be expected to think all of that as they’re going to go in and win the footy."

Buckley said he would cop his players being suspended in certain situations, rather than sitting back to allow the opposition a clear run at the footy.

"What was your intent? Was it trying to win the footy? Beautiful, keep trying to do that," he said.

"How do you coach around that? How do you say to a bloke 'I don’t want you going as hard next time?'"

In Sydney to launch the season in NSW ahead of Sunday's clash between the Swans and Port Adelaide at the SCG, McLachlan said Douglas shouldn't be considered unlucky because the rules were clear.

"If you choose to bump and hit someone in the head, you know the risks (associated) with that," he said.

"I think everyone accepts now that the head is sacrosanct and we've modified and changed our rules to protect the head."

McLachlan said this season's overhaul of the MRP had been received well by clubs.

Among the changes, Michael Christian was appointed the sole MRP officer in December, and the former Collingwood defender has been available to the media to explain any charges or findings from games in 2018.

Charges from Thursday and Friday night games are now laid within 24 hours of the match, instead of at the end of a completed round, and players like Douglas who do appeal no longer risk automatically longer bans.

McLachlan said the new system was more transparent to players, club, fans and the media, and was working.

"Michael Christian is clearly accountable now to the rules and he explains clearly why he made his decision," he said.

"People are going to disagree and have certain views (on decisions) and that’s what footy is about, but I really like the new system.

"He will continue to explain each decision and will do that every round."