Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard could be set for a long stint on the sidelines after he was seen to push an umpire during a melee with Gold Coast players in Saturday's Round 17 fixture.
Maynard was collected by the Suns' Ben Long off the ball late in the second quarter, leaving the former wheezing on the ground.
The two clubs then fell into a full blown melee on the halftime siren with Maynard charging for Long and yelling at him.
One of the field umpires looked to put himself between the two players but was pushed out of the way by Maynard as the Magpie saw red.
The melee then went for another few minutes with Collingwood defender Billy Frampton's guernsey being ripped off and the two sides exchanging words as they went into the sheds at halftime.
However, while Long's actions will be looked at by the match review officer, Maynard's will see him likely go straight to the tribunal.
The AFL has looked to crack down on incidental umpire contact in 2026, so the fact Maynard openly pushed an umpire with two hands will see him in deep trouble.
GWS captain Toby Greene was suspended for six games after he purposefully walked into an umpire in 2021, so the ban for Maynard pushing an umpire can be expected to be at least in that realm.
On the Fox Footy broadcast, North Melbourne legend David King and Richmond premiership player Jack Riewoldt were both strong in condemning the incident.
"I think he is staring down the barrel of at least a month, Toby Greene got six," Riewoldt said on the Fox Footy broadcast.
"Could be the dumbest thing we see for the year," King added.
"The umpires are a no-go zone. We have been talking about protecting them at all costs in the field of play. This is irresponsible and it's a month for me."
