AFL players respond to MRO crackdown

Round 17 saw a major shift away from the season’s trend with Match Review Officer offences.

EDITOR | July 8, 2025 - 12:10pm

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AFL players have seemingly responded to the league's crackdown on umpire contact, with Round 17 being the first weekend of football this year that no player was charged with making careless contact with an umpire.

The AFL confirmed last week that players with four offences against their record over two years could face suspension, with the offending player to be directed to the tribunal following their fourth charge of making careless umpire contact.

The recent weekend was also the lowest for total MRO charges for the year outside of Opening Round - which had four charges from three games, one less charge than the five in nine games in Round 17.

VIEW: EVERY MRO CHARGE FOR 2025 SO FAR

Across the five bye rounds prior to the recent weekend, the MRO had handed down 20 charges to players making careless contact with an umpire, with Round 13 having seven alone from a total of 11 MRO charges for the round.

The season to date has already reached record levels for umpire contact offences, having 69 so far - including pre-season matches. The increase was evident from Round 1, which had a season-high 11 careless contact with umpire offences.

Players have paid over $100,000 in fines for umpire contact this year, with only five players deciding to challenge charges against them.

Three found success, with all of Isaac Heeney, Jack Silvagni and Joel Jeffrey having their charge dismissed, while Matt Rowell and Jade Gresham saw theirs upheld and forced to pay a higher penalty.

Rowell was required to cough up $5000 for his Round 15 offence, given it was the third charge of its kind on his record this year. Gresham paid $1500, up from the $1000 he would've paid without a challenge of the charge.

The five total MRO charges from Round 17 were just the fifth time there have been fewer than 10 charges in a weekend after Opening Round.

The weekend before Round 17 had a season-high 37 charges handed down from the MRO, a round of offences that also included three failed bids at the AFL Tribunal.