AFL MRO news: All the latest updates from round 2

Patrick Dangerfield faced MRO scrutiny for his high hit on Ryan Byrnes, but has escaped a ban ahead of a highly-anticipated rematch with the Lions.

Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield is free to play in the blockbuster preliminary final rematch against Brisbane as St Kilda star Jack Higgins also escaped with a fine despite MRO scrutiny.

On a weekend when AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon flagged Monday tribunal cases in the future to expedite some Thursday and Friday night charges, both players dodged suspensions.

Dangerfield had been scrutinised for his elbow to the head of opponent Ryan Byrnes in Geelong’s humbling loss to St Kilda at Marvel Stadium.

He made clear head-high contact and a medium-level force assessment would have seen him missing next week’s Lions clash.

Dangerfield's elbow makes contact with Byrnes' face #AFLSaintsCatspic.twitter.com/auNuBFxDtm

— outbreezy (@outbreezyWC) March 22, 2025

But the mitigating circumstances saw him fined $6250 for a second offence ($3750 with a guilty plea) instead of suspended given a number of factors.

Dangerfield’s elbow bounced off Byrnes’ shoulder, with the AFL tribunal having twice downgraded suspensions to fines for similar incidents.

Harry McKay’s hit on Harry Sheezel and Charlie Ballard’s hit on Matt Guelfi were both downgraded to fines after the AFL tribunal ruled they started with contact to the shoulder.

Dangerfield’s elbow also landed with the force of a pushing motion rather than a direct strike.

St Kilda’s Higgins was a four-goal match-winner but in the second quarter ran down Geelong’s second year defender Connor O’Sullivan and drove him into the ground with some force.

Patrick Dangerfield after the Cats’ loss. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

In all 13 players were fined from Saturday clashes, with Mason Redman fined for tunnelling Riley Thilthorpe and six Power and Tigers players fined for a melee.

The AFL MRO continues to look for ways to stamp out those kinds of driving tackles, but O’Sullivan was not injured and continued to play on.

He can accept a fine and will hope to continue his match-winning ways against Richmond next Saturday afternoon.

AFL boss Andrew Dillon on Saturday defended the timeliness of the match review system and its tribunal but did suggest changes could be made for Thursday and Friday night games.

The league now releases charges less than 24 hours after each day or day of games, but tribunals are now held every Tuesday.

He suggested that the league was considering whether to hold some of those tribunal cases on Monday nights if a player was charged on Thursday or Friday and chose to appeal.

Under the current system a player charged on Thursday has to wait until Monday to decide to take the case to a Tuesday tribunal, before a potential Wednesday appeal.

Dillon committed to any AFL tribunal appeals being held on Wednesdays this year given the full suite of Thursday night games.

‘GOT PUNCHED IN THE FACE’: LOBB LEARNS FATE OVER COX CLIP

– Josh Barnes and Ronny Lerner

Rory Lobb will be free to help his Western Bulldogs curb Carlton pair Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay on Friday after being cleared of a hit on Magpie Mason Cox.

Lobb’s attempted spoil in the final quarter of Friday night’s loss was deemed a standard football act by the match review process, despite his fist collecting Cox’s face.

No action was taken as Lobb’s left arm swing was seen as a legitimate attempt to spoil.

Cox was cleared of concussion but left with a clear cut on his left cheek.

Magpie coach Craig McRae said post match that Cox was simply “punched” in the face.

Magpie Jack Crisp was also not cited for a tackle on Dog Rhylee West that warranted a dangerous tackle free kick.

Crisp will be free to carry on his consecutive game streak, which hit 240 on Friday night.

Mason Cox goes down after a hit from Rory Lobb. Picture: Getty Images

Lobb could avoid a ban as Cox wasn’t concussed. Picture: Michael Klein

Collingwood coach Craig McRae said on Friday night he expected Western Bulldogs defender Rory Lobb to be scrutinised.

“It looked from the vision that he got punched in the face so he got a couple of stitches,” McRae said.

“I assume so (Lobb will be looked at). A guy leaves the ground with a couple stitches.”

McRae said Cox’s glasses may have contributed to the cut, but suggested it shouldn’t be a consideration from MRO Michael Christian.

“Potentially, but he got punched in the face. Yeah,” McRae said.

Ironman Magpie Jack Crisp’s first-term tackle on Rhylee West will also be looked at, but West played out the game so the Pies’ consecutive games streak of 240 is likely to carry on.