THE EVENTS that took place in the final quarter of last week’s Collingwood-North Melbourne match showed how ridiculous the bounce has become in our game.

The AFL involves so much money these days, with wins and losses so often the bottom line in determining the livelihoods of coaches, players and staff at every club.

So to have something like a poor bounce play a significant part in a game – which could then have a real impact on where a club finishes at the end of the season – is simply not acceptable.

It’s time for the bounce to go.

I’d be supportive of keeping it to start the game and at the start of each quarter, but let’s do away with it after that.

What does throwing the ball up, as opposed to bouncing it, really take away from our great game? I’m sure it won’t stop people coming through the gates.

In a lot of games I’ve coached it hasn’t been until halfway through quarters or well into a match that I’ve actually realised the umpires were throwing the ball up and not bouncing it.

But as we saw last Saturday night, it doesn’t take long for anyone in the crowd to take notice of a poor bounce.

To be honest, what we saw in the crucial final minutes of Saturday night’s game was a ridiculous scenario.

I’m not blaming the umpire, despite agreeing with the majority view that perhaps it would have been best to call it back and re-bounce the ball.

Bouncing the ball is a difficult skill to perfect. It can also take its toll on the umpires with some developing back problems from the repetitive action.

If you got an honest assessment from the umpires, I believe a number of them would be in favour of throwing the ball up too.

But this debate is more about our game and getting a consistent and even contest for the two sides involved every week.

Anyone who saw last week’s game would have to agree that the bounce in question gave North Melbourne an unfair advantage.

People can talk all they want about balls bouncing certain heights and players from each side being able to compete for the footy.

But I’m sure even Adam Simpson felt embarrassed about what happened against Collingwood.

It was probably the easiest clearance he’s had in all his years playing footy.

As a coach, I’d have been absolutely fuming if the opposition was given a centre clearance on a silver platter in such a tight game - especially if it led to a goal.

Matches are hard enough to win as it is. We’ve now got to contend with drafts, salary caps, injuries and smaller lists than ever before.

So to then have a game heavily influenced, if not decided, by the bounce of a ball is unacceptable.

I didn’t hear Mick Malthouse's post-match media conference but he would have done well to control himself after losing in such circumstances.

It can be tough facing the media straight after a match, particularly when there has been some controversy.

I remember a final in Perth against West Coast a couple of years ago when Leo Barry had a free kick paid against him late in the game.

You walk in and you know what the first question is going to be and you know that you’re not really allowed to say anything.

At the same time, your blood might be boiling.

If you asked the coaches, they’d probably prefer not to have to front up to a room full of journalists straight after a game.

In some ways it’s a bit like speaking to your players straight after the match.

You might have a feel for how your team played but sometimes you don’t really have an accurate measure - especially one accurate enough to answer every question.

Often after the game you say something and then on the Monday after watching the game you realise: ‘Geez, we were a lot better or a lot worse than what I thought’.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.