AFL 2025: Alastair Clarkson ‘pretty certain’ AFL will make MRO grading change

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson is anticipating an adjustment to the MRO grading system as he welcomes back a suspended star.

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson foresees a shift to the match review officer’s grading following the controversial ban to star forward Paul Curtis.

Curtis returns to the Kangaroos side this week after serving a three-match suspension for his run-down tackle on Port Adelaide’s Josh Sinn.

Curtis was sanctioned through the severe and high-impact measures as Sinn was concussed in the tackle.

The four-time premiership coach says the Curtis ban is “done and dusted” for the ‘Roos now but still expects the system to undergo change at season’s end.

“I think Laura (Kane) went public when she said ‘there’s probably a flaw in the system’,” Clarkson said.

“Somewhere in there there’s just no scope for a two-week suspension or a one-week suspension on these sort of tackles.

“We thought he should have got off all together but we can sort of half cop and understand what they’re trying to do when you get a week.

“For the system to not allow that to be the case and it be a three-week ban, I think the whole competition was sitting back and saying ‘geez, somewhere that needs to change’.

“I would be pretty certain that there would be some sort of modification to that grading system with the MRO at the end of the year.”

Paul Curtis was handed three weeks for this tackle on Port Adelaide’s Josh Sinn. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Clarkson is content with his stance on the timing of changes and hopes no team suffers the “injustice” of a similar sanction in finals.

“My argument was ‘if you know it’s flawed now, change it now’ – there’s other things in the game we change mid-term,” he said.

“What happens if the Paul Curtis thing happens to a team in the finals or a player in the finals and they miss three weeks because of it?

“That would be a real injustice, I feel. Anyway, they will address it at the end of the year.

“It’s done and dusted for us, we’ve got Paul back now, we’re pleased he’s back and it’s unfortunate he’s missed the three week.”

Curtis is a welcome addition for Clarkson’s men, who tackle ladder-leaders Collingwood at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

Clarkson says facing any top side can be a “daunting” challenge but is itching to see how his Kangaroos stack up against the well-drilled and experienced Magpies.