AFL round 16: All the latest MRO news across the league from round 16
The MRO have handed down their verdict on Blues star Jacob Weitering’s “open-hand” shot to Hawks ruckman Lloyd Meek.
Carlton vice-captain Jacob Weitering has dodged any penalty from his match-day report on Hawthorn’s Lloyd Meek in a massive boost to the club’s finals hopes.
Weitering’s strike to Meek’s chest was caught by cameras behind the play but the charge was dropped after the match review panel assessed the case.
While the footage showed Blues full back Weitering making contact it was so far off the play the MRO was not able to ascertain whether the contact slipped up from the chest to the neck.
A high-contact incident would have allowed the league to assess it as low impact, intentional and a one-week ban which would have ruled him out of the crunch game against Fremantle.
But the lack of extra camera angles meant the MRO was not able to conclusively prove that Weitering made high or forceful contact.
The MRO ruled on Monday night that “after examining all available evidence, it was the view of the Match Review Officer that while Weitering makes contact with his left hand to Meek, any high contact made was negligible”.
Meek fell to the MCG deck but quickly jumped up and pointed to his chest rather than his neck or head.
He played out the game uninjured so Weitering did not even have to accept a charge for a low-impact careless strike.
Weitering told Fox Footy after the game the strike was open-handed and to Meek’s chest.
While some commentators believed Meek went down too easily, the inconclusive video evidence did not give the MRO enough clarity to decide whether he staged.
Carlton coach Michael Voss called on the AFL to scrap match-day reports after the Weitering incident.
But the AFL’s view on Monday was that allowing umpires to issue reports on match day remains an important tool in their arsenal to keep the peace during a game.
The AFL believes if a player is reported during a game it can be a signal that the incident has been officially lodged and can prevent a melee or scuffle forming.
Match-day reports do not make it more likely that a player will be suspended given the exhaustive process of review that includes MRO boss Michael Christian, legal boss Stephen Meade and football boss Laura Kane.
Six St Kilda and Fremantle players were handed $1000 melee fines _ Rowan Marshall, Mitch Owens, Luke Shuey, Campbell Chesser, Reuben Ginbe and Bailey Williams.
VOSS DEFENDS STAR’S OFF-THE-BALL HIT
– Josh Barnes and Jay Clark
Carlton coach Michael Voss has defended Jacob Weitering’s high hit on Hawthorn’s Lloyd Meek and called for an end to match day reports.
Weitering was reported on Sunday for making high contact to Meek with a left arm jolt, but the defender was adamant it was an “open hand on the chest”.
Umpire Nathan Williamson booked Weitering for the off-the-ball incident which could suspend Weitering for Sunday’s clash against Fremantle in Perth, pending close-up broadcast vision of the third-term blow.
Match review officer Michael Christian could grade the incident intentional conduct, high contact and low impact, triggering a one-match ban.
The incident – which took place about 50m off the ball – saw Weitering give away a free kick for high contact.
While Meek went to ground for a few seconds, the big man showed no signs of injury and continued to play the game.
Speaking to Fox Footy post game, Weitering said he made contact with Meek’s chest, not his throat or head.
“I have never been placed on report before,” Weitering said.
“I felt like it was open hand on the chest so we will just see what happens later on in the week.
“I play the game pretty hotly contested so we will just see.”
I felt like it was open hand on the chest."
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) July 2, 2023
Jacob Weitering doesn't sound too concerned about his match-day report.
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Williamson could be heard saying the free kick was for high contact as he ran over to report Weitering.
Zoomed in footage of the incident appears to show Weitering making a motion with his left arm and connecting with Meek, who falls to the turf.
Voss said post-match he “didn’t see the direct incident” but saw Meek holding his chest afterwards.
“It doesn’t look like that classifies as high to me,” Voss said.
“ (Weitering) is fairly comfortable with where it lies and he is pretty up front with these sorts of things so I will certainly back that man in.”
Weitering continued his strong performance in the second half of Sunday’s 60-point win after being placed on report but Voss said umpires using the book mid-match was unnecessary in the days of the match review officer.
“Absolutely (stop in-game reports), that is what the MRO is for and if there is any doubt, just wait,” he said.
“It won’t get missed. I guarantee you.”
The Blues head to Perth next weekend for a must-win clash against the Dockers.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast co-captain Jarrod Witts escaped suspension for his high bump on Collingwood’s Taylor Adams on Saturday.
Match review officer Michael Christian on Sunday handed Witts a fine for the bump which knocked Adams off his feet in the Magpies’ 78-point win.
The bump was graded careless conduct, high contact and low impact, meaning he is free to take on Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
WHY THE MRO CLEARED KEY CAT FOR FRANCIS TACKLE
Geelong’s Brad Close has escaped sanction for a tackle on Friday night which many thought had fallen under the league’s sling tackle crackdown.
The AFL released a statement saying no charges had been laid from Friday night’s draw with an explanation from the MRO about the Close incident.
The Cats forward tackled Sydney defender Aaron Francis in the opening quarter, pining one of his arms and bringing him down with his head then hitting the ground.
But MRO Michael Christian found Close’s actions weren’t careless.
“Francis gains possession of the ball with momentum in the Sydney Swans’ back pocket and is tackled by Close,” the AFL statement said.
“It was the view of the MRO that despite having Francis in a vulnerable position, Close attempted to slow momentum in taking him to ground and that in the circumstances he was not careless in tackling in that manner.
“No further action was taken.”
It was a fortunate break for Close who has already been suspended for one match this season for a sling tackle.
Geelong plays North Melbourne next weekend at GMHBA Stadium.
Suspension sours Lions’ demolition of Tigers
Brisbane forward Lincoln McCarthy has been caught up in the AFL crackdown on punches after being offered a one-week ban for his jumper punch on Richmond’s Kamdyn McIntosh.
McIntosh and McCarthy were grappling when McCarthy grabbed the Richmond wingman’s jumper and hit him with a clean strike to the chin.
While the punch was not especially forceful the AFL’s MRO offered him a one-week ban for an intentional, low impact strike.
McCarthy will miss against West Coast and while the Eagles have proven the league’s easybeats the former Geelong small forward had been in modest form in recent weeks.
McCarthy had kicked only one goal in the past four games before his three-goal effort against Richmond so the Eagles clash might have been a chance to fill his boots against the game’s worst side.
The MRO had suspended North Melbourne’s Jy Simpkin for a similar jumper punch on Fremantle’s Caleb Serong in round 2 so there was a direct precedent for McCarthy’s suspension.
Richmond defender Noah Balta was criticised for appearing to accentuate a tackle from his Brisbane opponent late in the game.
While the tackle showed a duty of care Balta appeared to try to rock his head back to make contact with the Gabba turf to draw a high-contact free kick.
But he was not cited for staging by the MRO after an incident that saw Fox Footy’s team suggesting he should try to eradicate that action from his game.
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