Melbourne star Kysaiah Pickett is likely facing a delayed start to his 2025 season following an incident in Friday's clash against Collingwood that is expected to earn the scrutiny of the AFL's Match Review Officer.

A second-term collision between Pickett and Magpies captain Darcy Moore left the latter with a concussion, with Pickett's right arm making high contact on Moore as the pair contested for a loose ball.

The incident sees Pickett come across Moore as the Collingwood defender goes to ground, with Moore able to take his free kick before undergoing, and failing, a head injury assessment.

The MRO could charge Pickett with rough conduct (high bumps) for the incident, with Moore's concussion likely to increase the potential penalty. The MRO would have to see that either Pickett reasonably contested the ball or that the high contact on Moore was caused by circumstances outside the control of Pickett that he could not have foreseen to not deem the incident as a reportable offence.

If a charge is laid, the MRO is likely to grade the incident as careless conduct and high contact, with the level of impact to determine the severity of the punishment.

Because Moore was concussed as a result of the collision, a 'severe' impact grading is likely, meaning Pickett could be facing three or more matches out of action through suspension.

An incident that could draw a comparison to Pickett's is that of Essendon's Sam Weideman on Carlton's Harry Lemmey in the VFL earlier this year.

Weidman was charged with rough conduct for a collision with Lemmey as both players contested for a loose ball, with Weideman making high contact with his opponent.

Weideman was offered a three-game suspension, with the VFL's Match Review Panel grading the incident as careless conduct, high contact and high impact. Lemmey was not concussed as a result of the incident.

Weideman and Essendon decided against lodging an early guilty plea and accepting a two-game ban for the charge, instead challenging the charge before they were unsuccessful at the VFL Tribunal to see the three-game ban stand.

The AFL's MRO will hand down their findings from Friday's game between Melbourne and Collingwood on Saturday evening.