Incidental head-high contact remains a grey area for AFL players, as the match review panel prepares to rule on another divisive collision.
Essendon's Heath Hocking clattered into Richmond youngster Ben Lennon in the final term of the Bombers' big win on Saturday night.
Both players had eyes for the ball and the clash was somewhat similar to Dan Hannebery and Adam Cooney's bumps over the past fortnight, which were both cleared by the panel.
Those rulings followed Jack Viney's infamous two-game suspension after round seven, which was overturned on appeal.
Some pundits have accused the league of blurring it message following the recent 'head is sacrosanct' crackdown triggered by fears of the long-term effects of concussion.
Plenty of players and coaches have spoken of confusion about how to approach similar ball-in-dispute contests.
"It's a very grey area for players," David Zaharakis admitted while appearing on the Nine Network.
"Players are sort of hesitant about whether to tackle or bump ... but Heath just put his head down and tried to win the footy.
"It was pretty much the same as the incident two weeks ago ... and Hanners got off.
"Hopefully the tribunal sees it the same way ... he bumped him but his intention was to win the footy."
Lennon, speaking alongside Zaharakis, termed the collision an "awkward situation".
"I didn't really (see him coming), I could sort of hear him," Lennon said.
"I knew I was going to get some sort of contact ... (but) I knew he wasn't going to try and knock me out."
There was less conjecture about Collingwood midfielder Steele Sidebottom's hit on Maverick Weller during Friday night's match at Etihad Stadium.
Sidebottom was reported for the blow that forced Weller to be substituted off with concussion and is set to be banned for two or three weeks.
The panel are expected to examine a handful of incidents in the inaugural regular-season match in Alice Springs between Port Adelaide and Melbourne, including a scuffle between opposing ruckmen Mark Jamar and Matthew Lobbe.
Adam Goodes' bump that hit Geelong captain Joel Selwood high in Sydney's 110-point win at the SCG is also likely to come under scrutiny.
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