Match Review Officer Michael Christian has come under severe scrutiny during his time as the sole adjudicator for the MRO, often criticised for being hypocritical and the main cause of the game "going soft" as many pundits like to say.
Following the fallout from Charlie Cameron and Toby Bedford's overturned suspensions, Christian spoke with SENย commentators Gerard Whateley and Tom Morris in a 30-minute interview on Friday.
In the discussion, Christian clarified his role and decision-making powers in the context of player suspensions, shared his reaction to the public outrage, addressed the topic liability and potential MRO modification as well as his thoughts on the highly speculated "fabric of the game".
He believes the game is not at risk of losing it's combative nature despite the significant crackdown of head contact spanning more than three-years.
Asked frankly whether the fabric of the game is in danger, Christian was clear:
"No. It's not."
"We've had 18,508 tackles this year. Seven suspensions."
"The players have been exceptional in exercising a duty of care to their opposition in the cut and thrust of a tackle."
"I'm not saying it's easy, I'm not saying we're not demanding a lot (from) the players. But for the betterment of the game, for the longevity of the game... I make no excuses for that."
"There's the odd one that people don't think is careless... but at the basis of everything, no. The fabric of the game is not under threat."
Christian maintains his view that both Cameron and Bedford's tackles last weekend were careless, on the ground of the opposing players' vulnerability and the force applied in the tackles.
The AFL is standing by its dangerous tackle bans despite Charlie Cameron and Toby Bedfordโs suspensions being overturned. But the week-long drama hasn't gone down well with the coaches. https://t.co/5zYfOfGqUb @KateMassey_7 @7AFL #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/VLvHErpOPZ
— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) July 19, 2024
While not a change within his decision-making powers, he did share an openness to updating the MRO table to allow certain "severe" incidents to be downgraded, so that not every tackle resulting in concussion leads to a three-week ban.
One potential modification highlighted by Tom Morris was for a spectrum to be applied to the element of "careless", which could open the door for "low-end careless" incidents to be met with potentially downgraded punishments.
"The matrix is too rigid... and there needs to be other parameters that are involved to allow you more flexibility," Morris said.
The current matrix, which leaves some incidents with the potential for three-week suspensions or nothing, often leaves Michael Christian in a difficult spot, as he must operate with strict adherence to the guidelines.
"I don't feel hamstrung," Christian added.
"One of the great things that Laura (Kane's) doing is she's very open to ideas."
"This whole system, as it is every year, will be reviewed at the end of the year."
Andrew Dillon, Laura Kane and the decision-makers at the AFL and within the tribunal, must consider an updated MRO table to allow severe incidents to be graded on a more open scale of punishments, with a range starting from a one-week suspension or no suspension, rather than the automatic three-week sanction.
This would allow relatively innocuous or completely accidental incidents to result in lesser suspensions with the opportunity for clubs to potentially downgrade the verdict, rather than be forced to completely overturn the verdict the way Brisbane and GWS' lawyers managed to do on Thursday.
Updates to the tribunal system will be made at season's end, the question is to what extent?
