Bump, tackle set to go on trial again as two fall under MRO microscope

A Richmond star could be in trouble, while a second action could be even more controversial when the match review verdict comes in.

Rhyan Mansell's bump on James Aish will come under the MRO microscope.

Geelong premiership forward Cameron Mooney believes players are no longer “bracing for contact”, with Richmond’s Rhyan Mansell set to receive a ban for his bump that left Fremantle’s James Aish concussed.

Mansell and Aish were involved in a heavy collision in the fourth quarter of Richmond’s win over the Dockers, with Aish coming into possession of the ball before colliding with Mansell a split second after.

Aish came from the ground and didn’t return to the match, with his Head Impact Assessment seeing him enter concussion protocols.

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The Match Review Officer will decide whether Mansell was contesting the ball and was doing so in a reasonable way.

If he finds Mansell was not contesting the ball, he likely would’ve elected to bump, resulting in a reportable offence.

Should he be reported, impact is likely to be at least high and potentially severe.

A finding of careless conduct with high contact and high impact would result in a two-match ban, while severe impact would result in a ban of at least three matches and a direct referral to the AFL Tribunal.

“This is a 50-50 football act that’s going to happen in our game,” Mooney said on Fox Footy of the Mansell-Aish incident.

“The problem with players now in today’s game in my belief is they are not bracing for the contact anymore because we are so gone the other way of protecting players, which we should.

“In our day - and I hate saying that - that’s both players bracing for each other and making contact because they both know what’s coming.

A couple of incidents will fall under the MRO microscope.

“Nowadays, players are going ‘Players aren’t allowed to hit me anymore, I’m free to go at it how I want.’”

Mooney said Aish should’ve braced himself for contact, adding most players “almost have the blinkers on” in general play given they assume they are protected by the rules of the game.

Aish will miss next week’s match against Greater Western Sydney under HIA protocol.

Richmond has matches against St Kilda, Brisbane and Sydney over the next month.

Elsewhere, Hawthorn captain James Sicily is also set to receive his second ban in three weeks, this time for a potential dangerous tackle on Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage.

McCluggage was left concussed after the tackle, which saw him initially fall on top of Sicily before continuing to turn into the ground, where forceful head contact was made with the ground.

The Match Review Officer will determine whether or not Sicily’s actions constituted a dangerous tackle, that is, whether it was unreasonable in the circumstance.

“I honestly just feel so bad for the players at the moment,” Mooney said.

“To me, that is just a fantastic lunging tackle by a player who’s desperate to make sure the opposition doesn’t get rid of the ball.

“He’s tackled him around the waist and his momentum has obviously dragged him down and unfortunate on the back of that he’s then hit his head on the ground.”

The Match Review Officer’s findings will drop on Sunday night.

Originally published as Bump, tackle set to go on trial again as two fall under MRO microscope