Gary Ablett has again escaped suspension despite hitting an opponent high with an elbow for the second week in a row, while Nat Fyfe also avoided sanction for a similar incident.
Conversely, North Melbourne’s Sam Durdin will miss a match after accidentally clashing heads with Gary Rohan in a seemingly fair bump to the body.
What’s the deal?
Are players getting suspended for otherwise legal acts just because their opponent happens to get hurt? Why hasn’t the transition from a Match Review Panel to singular Match Review Officer made this process any easier to understand?
Roar AFL Expert Adrian Polykandrites joined us on the Game of Codes podcast to try and make sense of this MRO madness.
Listen to the debate:
Gary Ablett, who has never been suspended in his career, has narrowly escaped a stint on the sidelines two weeks in a row now after the tribunal downgraded his strike on Dylan Shiel from intentional to careless last week.
Fyfe famously finished second to Matt Priddis in the 2014 Brownlow medal count by one vote, with fears a controversial suspension in Round 2 would make him the third ineligible ‘winner’ of the award.
Visit our Game of Codes hub to catch the full episode and be sure to subscribe and review on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever else you’re listening.
Tazzie
Guest
The AFL has always worked a double standard wether it be by manipulation of the draft, priority picks, fair distribution of "mega" games or player penalties, has in my opinion never passed the pub test from the time of Demitriou's reign to now. A total law unto itself serving the interests of the few with their snouts in the trough.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Not to mention McGovern being fined $2000 for a bump off the ball as unduly rough conduct.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Sam Walsh was fined $1k for pushing DeGoey which caused an umpire to trip over De Goeys foot. Walsh appealed the decision but it was upheld and the fine increased to $1.5k. If you look at the incident it was at a centre bounce. De Goey wasn’t standing directly behind the umpire but just to his left. Walsh actually pushed off De Goey which impeded De Goey from moving. The umpire after bouncing the ball did not run back in a direct line but veered to his left where De Goey was. IMO the fact the umpire did not run back in a direct line which he is obliged to was the reason contact with De Goey was made. A player makes head high contact and doesn’t even cop a fine whilst an umpire trips over a players foot because he can’t run back in a straight line, ends up on his @rse and a player has to cough up $1.5k.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Consider the all out bickering among posters here at the Roar re- Christian's findings. There is no easy answer, no easy fix. Are they getting it wrong all the time? I don't think so. No two incidents are ever exactly the same. We've even had situations where decisions are over-ruled and the arguments about the validity of those decisions continue. Can't please everyone. Accept that and carry on.
WCE
Roar Rookie
affluent nepotism
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
So many rules no-one knows what's going on.