It was the goal that wasn’t.

James Frawley’s wonky shot from 50 metres out in Melbourne’s first term never looked likely.

That is, until a fist from Gold Coast’s defence helped it over the line.

Steven May’s preparedness to then take the kick-in wasn’t the act of a master bluffer – he actually thought he’d got a hand to it.

So did everyone with the benefit of a TV screen.

But after a goal review, Frawley’s unlikely major stood, sparking a run of three goals for the Demons.

You could forgive a goal umpire, with the incident happening in an blur.

But the reviewing umpire in the box was armed with four camera angles – three appearing to be decisive.

Thankfully the goal didn’t prove decisive, with Gold Coast holding on for an eight-point win.

After the match, Suns coach Guy McKenna, whose father was a goal umpire, turned to his media assistant for advice.

“Can I say what you said?” he asked.

“We’re all human … I think we had enough players making mistakes, myself as a coach I’ve made mistakes.

“I thought they got a hand on it but how can you see when you’re sitting 150 metres away.”

The incident is likely to lead to calls to improve the technology as Demons coach Paul Roos suggested.

“There was some discussion we were going to have some goal-line stuff this year, I don’t know what happened with that,” he said.

“It is what it is.

“Unless you can get that camera right on the side, you’re always going to have benefit of the doubt to the call the goal umpire makes.”