Melee crackdown, faster MRO verdicts among 2020 tweaksBy Riley Beveridge
afl.com.au
18 December 2019Changes to the Match Review and Tribunal systems include:
* Players who join melees at quarter breaks will face tougher punishments in 2020.
* The Match Review Officer will now classify all intentional, off-the-ball and high-contact strikes as one notch higher on the grading scale from next season to ensure offenders are adequately punished.
* A 24-hour turnaround for all verdicts across a weekend, as opposed to just for Thursday and Friday night matches – as was the case in 2019.
* The Tribunal chairperson will now provide clubs with a verbal explanation as to why challenges and referrals have either succeeded or failed.
* Tribunal challenges for financial sanctions will be simplified, with only a single legally trained Jury member to adjudicate on matters on the basis of a written submission only.
* There will be strengthened guidelines for repeat offenders, meaning they could be referred directly to the Tribunal to disincentivise further offences.
* Gradings for incidents that have the potential to cause serious injury will be clarified to include when the player is not expecting or prepared for contact.
* 'Tripping' will be added as a fixed financial sanction, meaning the Match Review Officer can fine players who trip without causing negligible impact.
https://www.afl.com.au/news/343276/melee-crackdown-faster-mro-verdicts-among-2020-tweaks
