Brayden Maynard and Touk Miller got hefty fines for umpire contact. They should have been suspended
Updated ,first published
Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard’s move for the second time in his career will lead to the rules being changed.
The first was in the 2023 qualifying final, when Maynard attempted to block a strike from Melbourne midfielder Angus Brayshaw, knocking out his opponent.
This time the 29-year-old was fined $5000 for misconduct after making contact with a referee that the AFL’s match review officer described as worse than careless ($1500 fine) and less than intentional (suspension).
However, the fine is inadequate for the type of contact he made with referee Nick Brown.
Maynard and Gold Coast midfielder Touk Miller should have been suspended for at least one match.
What Maynard did on Saturday afternoon when the red mist rolled in and he charged at his opponent without realizing the referee’s goal was in front of him was unacceptable.
It is understandable, albeit childish, but it is not right to engage with a referee in such a volatile situation, whether at AFL level or any other level.
Unfortunately the rules left the MRO no choice but to impose a fine when it determined Maynard’s behavior was careless. The rules undermined their valiant desire to eliminate referee contact.
Maynard’s action was judged to have been careless rather than intentional. To prove intent the action had to be considered offensive, disrespectful, demonstrative or coercive, and there was no allegation that Maynard or the Millers had acted in this way.
It could be argued that pushing someone out of the way to shove someone else is disrespectful, but that would be a weak argument in this case as Maynard almost never replaces the referee. The step Brown took to escape the melee was more matador-like, and in any case, the contact likely didn’t even reach the referee.
Maynard slowed down and put his hands on the referee’s back to clear the way for Gold Coast’s Ben Long, who had brought down the Magpie defender moments earlier.
Miller also accelerated to push Maynard away from Long, resulting in him making stronger, albeit careless, contact with the referee than Maynard.
So why was the decision to fine these two players instead of punishing them inadequate?
Because this wasn’t accidental contact in a crowded stoppage where players jostled for position and blind referees took action after throwing the ball.
This wasn’t a situation like the one Miller found himself in the seventh round, either, when he couldn’t escape the referee on the overall play.
This was a completely preventable contact.
Maynard’s attack on Long was reckless and emotional.
Sure, we love the theater of overflowing emotion in the relatively sanitized and controlled environment of the AFL, but the half-time melee in a suburban or country league is anything but controlled.
That’s why referees should be sacrosanct when they find themselves in the situation Brown was in on Saturday afternoon. His position was only slightly out of whack when he moved to quell the initial small argument as the siren blared.
Toby Greene was suspended for six games, Greg Williams was suspended for nine games and Tom Hawkins was suspended for one match for contacting the referee. Emotion caused them to do the wrong thing.
The actions of Maynard and Miller were in the same process as those of these three. They shouldn’t be playing next week.
The game cannot accept AFL players bumping into referees as they charge into melee as mere carelessness. A suspension was necessary.
Referee contact is one area where they need as hard and fast a rule as possible to protect emotional players from themselves.
For God’s sake, volunteers should be sought at the community level to work as referee escorts so the officials are not exploited by idiots who take their frustrations far beyond what is acceptable. Believe me, this is not a fun job.
The AFL changed the charge to misconduct so it could fine Maynard and Miller $5000 rather than the mandatory $1500 fixed financial penalty for careless conduct with the referee.
It is also likely that both clubs will be fined heavily as they both currently have more than four criminal charges for contacting the referee.
They know that this conclusion is not true.
There need to be rules in place to suspend a player for such recklessness.
We shouldn’t forget Gawn
Max Gawn is often forgotten when the game’s top five players are nominated.
Marcus Bontempelli, Nick Daicos, Isaac Heeney, Kozzie Pickett, Zak Butters, Luke Jackson, Patrick Cripps or Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera easily fill those spots, and some earn more than others.
But his first-half performance against Hawthorn in Tasmania on Saturday will ensure he is never left out of the conversation again.
He dominated a competition from the back in a way no player has been able to control this season.
In the first half Gawn made 13 disposals, eight contested possessions, 10 advantage takings, five clearances and four scoring tackles to give the Demons a 77 point lead at half time, the biggest first half lead for the club since 1927.
Befitting his surname, Lloyd Meek had the ability to deliver the ball into his midfield or into open space where his teammates could gather on their way to goal. The Demons led 29-8 at halftime.
He also received three interceptions, his presence so confusing the Hawks that they were unable to clear 50 meters behind them.
It was as if Gawn had used Brodie Grundy’s destruction of Tim English the night before as motivation; The Ruck pair are leading finals contenders with premiership ruckmen, coincidentally both senior coaches.
Hawthorn’s pressing was also abysmal and not good enough to make up for the significant absence of their senior players Jarman Impey, Karl Amon, Ned Reeves, Nick Watson and Josh Battle. James Sicily set the low standard with a half-hearted effort to stop Ed Langdon’s dribbling strike from hitting the goal.
Of course, Gawn’s performance even at the age of 34 should not be a surprise.
But he deserves credit for backing himself up with another great year last season (eight All-Australians suggest these are not uncommon) despite changes in his midfield, his coach and, most importantly, major changes in the way the ball is thrown and the rules for stopping tackles.
His presence makes Melbourne a genuine premiership contender in a season many pundits (including myself) have even written off their chances of breaking into the top 10.
As the Demons opened a 96-point lead, they moved into fourth place in the live standings, percentage ahead of the Lions and Adelaide, before dropping five percentage points in the second half to drop to sixth in the standings.
The win opened up two places in the top four; Six points separated the Hawks in third and the Bulldogs in eighth. Melbourne’s eyes should be focused on the fourth spot. While Gawn stands tall, they need to be seen as a genuine premiership threat.
Essendon has no answer
Really? The Bombers’ first half against St Kilda was miserable even by their standards.
If the Bombers’ hierarchy want Dean Solomon to nominate for the vacant coaching position, the team needs to show more than it has to flirt with under his tutelage.
After coming into the game looking to apply more pressure, the Bombers made seven tackles in the first quarter with a pressure factor of just 152. This was not an answer.
Until this game, Solomon had reduced the team’s points average by four goals since taking over, but that progress was halved on Sunday. They played better in the second half, but it was too late.
The players look shocked and starving for outside expertise, a leader with recent experience at a successful club who brings modern football intelligence.
They may want concessions from the roster, but it won’t make much difference if their football department is below average.
Can the hierarchy stop being pushed around and hire the best coach available?
An extra rookie spot for local players
Just as three-game membership increases membership numbers, offering an extra rookie position to players of Indigenous heritage could also increase the number of First Nations players. Indigenous voices who are skeptical about whether this move will solve the problems that make it harder for Indigenous players to develop AFL careers than the general population are right. The AFL needs to listen to these It will meet on Thursday to decide whether this change will be made.
The real answer can be found in the amount of money available to clubs in the AFL and state league programs to facilitate the development of Indigenous talent.
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
