AFL MRO opens up on grading incidents, intentional strikes and Tribunal hearings

AFL Match Review Officer (MRO) Michael Christian has announced a litany of changes to the guidelines ahead of the 2026 season, revolving around intentional strikes, grading incidents and Monday night Tribunal hearings.

Christian says that the incidents on Thursday night will be held on Monday evenings, helping improve turnaround and provide more clarity for players and clubs.

The former Collingwood player and commentator also provided his reasoning on the following changes:

Intentional strikes

"It will be graded, usually, as medium, at a minimum. Usually means more than 50 per cent. That's a significant change ... that will result in a week suspension.

"A strike is defined as a blow delivered with force; there's nothing about a clenched fist in there. As long as the blow is delivered with force, it doesn't matter if it's a clenched fist or a palm of the hand."

Pushing an opponent into a contest

"It has always come under rough conduct ... what we've done is make a specific guideline in respect to it.

"It refers to all players; if you were to push an opponent into your teammate and your teammate is injured, you could potentially still be charged."

The example was former Bomber Dylan Shiel pushing Geelong's Mark O'Connor into Essendon speedster Luamon Lual.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Grading incidents involving concussion

"(Previously), if a player committed a careless act and a concussion resulted, the minimum suspension would be three weeks. But the AFL, to their credit, has listened to the feedback ... and there is now a provision in place that if the observable force doesn't look like it warrants a three-week suspension, there is a capacity to bring it back.

"I've always had the ability to upgrade on the potential to cause more serious injury, but this provision allows me to come back.

"(Justin McInerney's suspension from round one, 2025) is the one incident for the year that would definitely be looked at in 2026, as potentially this provision applying. Not saying it definitely would be, but that is one that would be looked at closely."

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Careless contact with umpires

"Last year, there was the threat of suspension ... now it's just been mandated to make it quite simple and transparent.

"If you do it four times, it's an automatic one-week suspension."

Carlton's Adam Cerra was sent to the Tribunal after a fourth offence in two years.

He received a fine of $5,500.