Mark Thompson tossed the first hand grenade on Monday and St Kilda coach Ross Lyon lobbed it back with interest the following day.
Indeed, when it comes to the Steve Baker and Steve Johnson issue, it obviously flicks the switch of two of the more relaxed coaches in the caper.
The niggling tagger was controversially banned for nine matches after the side's spiteful Round 13 encounter which the Saints won by 24 points.
Baker pleaded guilty to three counts of striking Johnson and another count of interfering with an injured player after he hit Johnson's hand.
"Bomber's talking about umpires and getting free kicks early," Lyon said on Tuesday.
"I just hope the Ling rule's in and Dal (Dal Santo) gets about five holds in the first quarter – that'd be nice."
Lyon backed his pesky tagger, calling him an "incredibly hard and unrelenting player" and said that when it comes to on-field indiscretions, the Cats give as good as they get.
Whist there was more than a hint of tongue-in-check in the comments of both coaches, the bitterness from the Round 13 encounter is still obviously stewing.
"I'm on the record – Steven plays within the laws of the game."
"He's certainly copped a suspension and that's all debatable and as I said, there's plenty of things that happen on both sides of the fence that get missed."
"We just want Nick (Riewoldt) taking the arms to be recognised and blown. That's where it sits."
"I just want all of our players to have equal protection and be umpired to the laws of the game."
Lyon said that Sam Fisher, Adam Schneider and Stephen Milne were certainties to line up, provided they get through Wednesday's closed training session at the MCG.