AFL Round 15: Follow the latest news on the incidents set to come under MRO scrutiny

Joe Daniher has been found guilty of staging and copped a fine from the MRO for his “Academy Award winning” antics against Geelong.

Joe Daniher was in the spotlight for staging during Lions’ win over Geelong. Picture: Getty Images

Joe Daniher has been handed the season’s first staging fine after being accused of an “Academy Award winning” dive against Geelong on Thursday night, which has been likened to cheating.

Daniher flopped forward in a marking contest with Cats defender Lachie Henderson during the second quarter of the match and was awarded a free kick just 15m out from goal.

Match review officer Michael Christian handed Daniher a $1000 fine after finding he was guilty of “excessive exaggeration” rather than just attempting to milk a free kick.

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Tom Hawkins goes face-to-face with Joe Daniher. Picture: Getty Images

The MRO’s guidelines also refer specifically to players staging in a manner which is unsportsmanlike and can affect an umpire’s decision-making.

Geelong defender Tom Stewart was charged with wresting against Charlie Cameron in the same game, handed a $1000 sanction.

Daniher received a free kick for the flop and as Geelong players voiced their displeasure with his actions a minor skirmish broke out.

While it was not a melee, his actions fit the textbook MRO definition of staging.

Critically, Henderson made little or no contact in the marking contest which would explain Daniher being thrown forward with enough force to secure a free kick.

Daniher is the first player fined for staging since Richmond pair Nick Vlastuin and Dylan Grimes in August last year.

Sydney’s Tom Papley was also fined for staging last year after throwing himself forward in a marking contest against Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard.

The Richmond pair both put in written submissions to clear their names and were successful after Grimes was propelled forward in a marking contest with Essendon’s Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.

But Grimes said later in the year he had changed his behaviour as a result of the incident, which saw disgusting social media trolling by members of the public who were eventually charged by police.

Daniher’s actions did not go over well. Picture: Getty Images

“I got found guilty of staging. I learnt my lesson from there and it’s something I don’t want to be known for, it’s something I don’t want in my game, and I think that’s what the AFL want as well – you know, they want players to learn their lesson when they get fined or get given weeks, they want the behaviour to change.”

"That's not a free kick!"

The Cats weren't happy with Joe Daniher's acting here...

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— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 24, 2021

That is deadset embarrassing by Joe Daniher.

— Ryan Reynolds (@Reynolds_R) June 24, 2021

Joe Daniher is now a Shooting Stars meme. I am still not sorry for these pic.twitter.com/yQdjHhfP2D

— Ethan (@ethanmeldrum_) June 24, 2021

AFL Tribunal Guidelines state that “Staging can include, but is not limited to excessive exaggeration of contact in an unsportsmanlike manner”.

Melbourne great Garry Lyon was also critical of the Daniher flop.

“I didn’t like it. I put my hand up as someone that did it themselves, I include myself in this,” Garry Lyon said on SEN radio.

“It’s a form of cheating. There was no contact, he just flopped himself forward. Lachie Henderson’s look summed it up. Then he went back and kicked the goal. You don’t need to do that, Joe doesn’t need to do that.”

Originally published as AFL Round 15: Follow the latest news on the incidents set to come under MRO scrutiny