The bump is alive and Luke Ball will have no hesitation using it.

The star Collingwood midfielder has joined AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou in saying one of the game’s most brutal aspects has a future – but players have to be wary.

It is again a hot topic in the AFL this week after the tribunal found Geelong onballer James Kelly guilty of forceful high contact for his perfect hip-and-shoulder bump on Essendon opponent Brendon Goddard.

The Cats, and many others in the AFL, were aghast at the verdict.

Ball will return from more than a year out with injury in the Saturday night blockbuster against Geelong at the MCG.

“You’ve always had to be careful, but it’s certainly under the microscope at the moment,” Ball said.

“If there’s an opportunity to bump tomorrow night, I’m not going to be thinking twice (and) I wouldn’t expect my teammates to and the Geelong players as well.

“Obviously you have to be careful and there’s probably a technique on how to do it.

“The whole thing about players second guessing can be blown out of proportion a little bit.”

While Ball remains a fan of the bump, he admitted the Kelly verdict raised questions about what was allowed.

“When it initially happened – I know James and he’s a fair and hard player – your first thought was ‘ooh, he might be in a bit of trouble there’,” he said.

“What we’re not used to is guys being penalised when they haven’t caused any damage to their opponent.

“To see Brendon get up and run on and then to still get the result, that’s probably what caused the outcry a little bit this week.”

Demetriou would not give his personal opinion on the Kelly case, but said the Cats star had paid the price for hitting Goddard too high with his bump.

“Make no mistake, if you’re in two minds about bumping towards the head, you’re going to run the risk and that’s what happened with James Kelly unfortunately,” he told 3AW.

Demetriou is also adamant that there is a place for the bump in the modern game.

“The bump is not finished, but there certainly is protection for players around their head,” he said.

“The game has never been … more brutal.

“They are so well-tuned, these athletes, they are throwing themselves like missiles at the ball.

“The collisions that go on and the bumps, it is incredible to understand how their bodies can withstand it.”