All the MRO news from round 16 of the AFL

Steven May is free to play next week after his arm collected Ben Ainsworth in the head, while Jack Viney has also escaped sanction after the Dees’ clash with the Suns.

Melbourne’s senior leaders Jack Viney and Steven May will be available to take on Adelaide despite being assessed for MRO incidents in a clash that saw 12 melee fines handed out.

Viney’s tackle that drove Gold Coast’s newly re-signed Matt Rowell into the ground was scrutinised after his opponent made some head-high contact with the ground.

But while Viney had an arm pinned in the second-quarter incident he let go and allowed Rowell to get that arm down to break his fall.

His head made contact to the People First Stadium turf but most of the contact was to his shoulder.

So Viney was not suspended given the AFL tells players that releasing an arm is one of the ways to mitigate a dangerous tackle.

His teammate Steven May was rushed by Gold Coast players who remonstrated after he clumsily hit Ben Ainsworth with a spoil that took him high.

But May did make contact with the footy and had his eyes on the ball, and was helped by the fact it was not a round-arm spoil.

Harrison Petty left the field after this incident involving Brayden Fiorini.#AFLSunsDeespic.twitter.com/iB8U3oGRfy

— AFL (@AFL) June 28, 2025

The Demons defence was outclassed, with Jake Lever demoted to the VFL where he took seven intercept marks for the Casey Demons.

He is likely to come back into the side, especially with Harry Petty again concussed after an incident contesting the ball with Gold Coast’s Brayden Fiorini.

Petty approached the loose ball head on, while Fiorini turned his body and approached side-on with his hands down reaching for the ball.

He had both hands on the ball when he and Petty collided, with the Demons swingman

groggy and taken off the field with concussion.

Steven May's clumsy spoil

The MRO explained the incident on Sunday night, stating: “It was the view of the MRO that Fiorini genuinely contests the ball and it was reasonable for him to contest in that way. No further action was taken”.

While it was not Petty’s fault that he was concussed, coaches are keen to avoid players approaching contests head-on and with little regard for their welfare.

It is Petty’s second concussion since May this year after a head knock against West Coast put him into the concussion protocols.

Kysaiah Pickett was handed a $5000 fine for a fourth striking offence on Noah Anderson and can accept a $3125 fine with a guilty plea.

SWAN OFFERED ONE-GAME BAN

Sydney forward Aaron Francis has been offered a one-match ban for his hit on Lachie Bramble during the loss to the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.

And it wasn’t the Swan’s only citing, receiving two fines for engaging in a melee with Rory Lobb across the course of the contest.

Francis and Lobb locked horns throughout the contest, often found as the instigators of the spotfires in one of the games of the season.

Rory Lobb and Aaron Francis wrestle

Aaron Francis has been offered a one-match ban for striking following this incident involving Lachie Bramble.

Details: https://t.co/xij9OLbr7dpic.twitter.com/4Uvjy7V85c

— AFL (@AFL) June 28, 2025

The pair of opponents received two $1500 fines each, which would be reduced to $1000 with an early plea.

Sydney’s Tom Papley also received a $1500 fine for being the instigator of a melee, which can be reduced to $1000 after he started a fracas with Sam Darcy before the first bounce.

Isaac Heeney’s wallet is also lighter after he received a $3000 fine, reduced to $2000, for striking Ed Richards, but he avoided suspension.

If Francis accepts his penalty, he will miss Sydney’s round 17 clash against Fremantle next week.

Originally published as All the MRO news from round 16 of the AFL