Reports emerged on Monday night that the Umpires Association had lodged documents with the AFL seeking an independent medical investigation into the physical ramifications of bouncing the ball.

The AFL confirmed on Tuesday that head office had received a claim from the umpires and was working closely with them to investigate possible health and safety hazards.

But when asked if he had a strong feeling either way regarding the bounce, Buckley said he didn't really care.

"No, no not really. I used to. It's really not that important. I like the idea that ??? if you've got an umpire who can bounce the ball well ... then do that.

"If you haven't got umpires that can bounce the ball well or it's impacting their ability to umpire for a period of time, well, then just throw it up."

The ball was thrown up and not bounced for at least part of three matches in round nine, because of soft turf underfoot or poor conditions.

Eleni Glouftsis, who at the weekend became the first female field umpire, threw the ball up in the second half of the Essendon v West Coast match on Sunday, because of newly laid turf at Etihad Stadium.

"The bounce just adds another element of variability to it and there's a bit of craft in that. I mean, boundary throw-ins don't go to an identical spot either," Buckley said.

"We can make the game as vanilla as you like with our rules. We can take any element of chance out of things if we really wish to.

"And the third-man-up rule has just brought the ball up back to a one-on-one battle, which I've enjoyed. If there's any way that we can simplify the game for the viewers and for the officiating umpires ... that's a good thing."

The AFL Umpires Association declined to comment.