Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has taken a thinly veiled swipe at the umpires after his side was upset by Carlton at the MCG on Sunday.
While Malthouse, wary not to cop a fine from City Hall, did not refer to any incidents there were two free kicks in the second half of the Magpies' 30-point loss which will be talking points out of the game from an umpiring perspective.
The first, which resulted in a Carlton goal, was a free kick paid to Brad Fisher in the goal square in the third term.
The latter was a free kick in the final quarter which denied Paul Medhurst a goal.
The free kick count finished 23-13 in Carlton's favour.
"I think a few players were very disappointed over a few bits and pieces that happened within the space of a few minutes, well less than a minute," Malthouse said.
"Maybe that takes the wind out of your sails and the momentum shifts and the door breaks open."
Asked if it was the Fisher incident, Malthouse replied: "I'm not allowed to refer to decisions. I'm just saying there were parts of it that took the winds out of the boys' sails."
He also refused to speculate whether he was irate with the free kick which denied Medhurst a goal.
"Is that the same incident I just said I can't answer about?"
"I can't discuss instances. As I said it's part of the game. I don't know what the free kick count was."
Malthouse said he wished coaches would be able to comment on umpiring decisions without the fear of sanctioning from the AFL.
"Of course we do. I'm a coach. I'd love to. You can ask the questions, I'd love to," he said.