GOLD Coast coach Stuart Dew is comfortable with the outcome of Willie Rioli's case and says Matt Rowell will do the same thing next time he's in a similar position.

Rioli successfully challenged a one-match ban for his mid-air collision with Rowell on Sunday in an incident (watch it in the player below) that divided the football community.

Dew said the game was so fast and any talk of asking Rowell to change his ways to protect himself would likely fall on deaf ears.

"I don't know if I'd [get] much cut-through with Rowelly," Dew said.

"He's going to go for the ball as he always does. He had eyes for the ball. Our instruction to our players is that bumping is putting yourself at risk.

"In that case, it did appear (Rioli) was contesting the mark and I think that's how they've judged it. It could go either way ... It just happened so quick, the game is so fast these days that I don't think it's as simple as yay or nay."

NOT HAPPY AFL at odds with Tribunal over Rioli call

Dew's former Hawthorn teammate Jordan Lewis described Rowell's actions as "reckless" on Fox Footy.

Dew said it would be hard to teach players to not go with the flight of the ball, but thought it could happen over time.

"They've done something so often in their life.

"It's going to be generational, what we're teaching at grassroots level, because if they've done it for 20 years, it's hard to change across a pre-season.

"I did see someone say we've got to be more lenient on the guys that don't go, because players are thinking about it, and it's fair enough."

Rowell will be an integral piece of Gold Coast's midfield against premier Melbourne on Saturday night following his 33-disposal season-opener against the Eagles.

Gold Coast will use its first home match of the season as a fundraiser for flood victims in Queensland and northern New South Wales.

The club has donated $20,000 to start things off.