The AFL has recently revealed that players could be subject to suspensions if they are found guilty of making 'careless contact with an umpire' four or more times.
A total of 71 sanctions have been handed down in the first 16 Rounds of the 2025 season, with St Kilda's Jack Macrae (four fines) and Gold Coast's Matthew Rowell (three) leading the way.
With a third of the campaign remaining, we've already seen an increase in the 56 charges from 2024.
On Tuesday, the league released a statement confirming that players who are charged with the offence four or more times in a two-year window will likely be referred directly to the AFL's Tribunal.
This is where they could suffer a ban, and be ruled out of Brownlow Medal contention.
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon laughed at the mid-season change, but alluded to a key point regarding the types of players who are more likely to be sanctioned.
"I try not to bite into it too heavily," the St Kilda coach said.
"I don't think fines are the solution. I haven't fined any player to get discipline or an action. Ultimately, it's all about education and setting a framework.
"Most of it occurs in the centre-square bounce... the ball drops 95 per cent off the ruckman's chest. Should you be in that area? That's the debate."
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick sympathised with centre-bounce players in his "rant" following the AFL's decision earlier in the week.
"What can you tell me about the centre bounce of the ball? It goes anywhere. So it's really, really hard for the players to sit there whilst maintaining the consistency of protecting the umpire. But if the ball bounces sideways, they're going to move," Hardwick said.
"My question is, if the AFL spoke to the AFL Commission about taking away the bounce and throw it up, let's see if there's any significant change in the data.
"At the moment, the vast majority (of the offences) happen at centre bounce.
"Some of the ones (Rowell) is getting fined for is quite laughable to be perfectly honest.
"I think we can speak to the Commission about getting rid of the bounce, and let's throw it up.
"I know we're the Gold Coast Suns, and don't get me wrong, Matt Rowell is a superstar, but if this was spoken about with Nick Daicos, Collingwood would tear the place down.
"End of rant!"
The crackdown could see players like Rowell, Patrick Cripps, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Caleb Serong, Tom Green, Jason Horne-Francis, Bailey Smith, Kysaiah Pickett, Jordan Dawson, Ed Richards, Connor Rozee, Christian Petracca, Tim Taranto and Clayton Oliver, who have all been fined for carelessly coming into contact with an umpire in 2025, ineligible for 'Charlie'.
The irony that lies within the revised framework regarding the penalty is that those trusted (umpires) to adjudicate, and ultimately decide who takes home the coveted Brownlow Medal, are also involved in potentially stripping them of the opportunity.
