Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said, "there's too much uncertainty" surrounding the contention holding-the-ball free-kick, declaring there needs to be an overhaul from 'City Hall (the AFL)'.
Beveridge believes that both players and umpires are left "helpless" on how to conduct themselves on the field, while the "total confusion" has left coaches lost on how to guide and instruct their stars.
The AFL made the mid-season call in 2024 to update the interpretation of the rule that was supposed to reward the tackler after a chorus of coaches forced the issue.
But now the 2016 premiership coach says it's reverted back to anarchy.
"I don't want to be too controversial today," Beveridge said on Thursday.
"The main one that we're all focusing on, moving away from that (Mansell incident), is there's just too much uncertainty across the league in regards to source pressure situations with tackling and being tackled.
"No one understands the rule anymore, and it's very difficult to coach it.
"How long can you hang on to the ball? Can you attempt to dispose of it? Throw it out, miss it completely, is it play on? No one understands it.
"So the suggestion for me was to make sure we bring back prior opportunity and validate incorrect disposal.
"I don't think we as coaches have ever felt as helpless around that and coaching it as we do now.
"I think the whole competition is confused."
Troubled star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has been "chipping away" at his progress in returning from the time he spent away from the club.
Onlookers saw Ugle-Hagan with the senior group on Thursday at Whitten Oval in a positive development.
"Yeah, he's chipping away, โMarra, ' so that's encouraging. The more he can be involved in these main sessions โฆ he looked really good the other day, the closer he gets to playing,โ Beveridge said.
"He's stringing โฆ his program specifics here, together, and that's really important for him, and for us."
Captain Marcus Bontempelli also joined in full training, but largely spent time with the rehab group, which included Adam Treloar.
Fellow forward Cody Weightman suffered a minor setback with "swelling" around the knee but remains on track for a late-season return.
The Bulldogs will head west to take on Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
โConfusionโ โ I understand the rule perfectlyโฆโฆ at least I did for the last weekend.
If Nth Melb were caught holding the ball, it was โplay onโโฆ..
If Adelaide were caught holding the ball โ Nth Melb got a free kick.
Next week itโll be:
If Gold Coast are caught holding the ball, itโs โplay onโโฆ..
If Adelaide are caught holding the ball โ Gold Coast get a free kick.
As per my โcallโ ABOVEโฆโฆ โ
it was a one-way affair with the crows losing the game due to a number of umpiring decision (or โnon-decisions).
Itโs worth noting that immediately after this mark (which was for a shot on goal) was not โallowedโ, there was:
A โholding the ball decisionโ also not โallowedโ (which would have been another shot on goal) โ but waitโฆ..
Moments after that there was a high contact (Thilthorp kicked the head) that was also not allowed (another shot on gaol not permitted)โฆ.
So there was actually THREE shots on goals that were not permitted by the โumpiresโ within one minuteโฆ. in the dying stages of the last quarter
โฆ this is on top of:
Gold Coast getting at leats 3 goals form โdubiousโ free kicks within kicking distance of goal AND
a free kick count of 25 (Gold Coast) and 14 (Adelaide Crows).
THERE IS NOTHING โCONFUSINGโโฆ. THERE IS, HOWEVER, PLENTY THAT IS QUITE CERTAINLY โGAME FIXINGโ.