MRO reveals the latest crack down on potentially dangerous act

AFL Match Review Officer Michael Christian has revealed the next on-field action that the MRO system plans to tighten.

Speaking with SEN’s Gerard Whateley, Christian identified the action involving a player pushing another player into a potentially vulnerable position.

Frequently occurring within marking contests, the act sees a player, typically in an unfavourable position in a one-on-one contest, attempting to gain an advantage by shoving their opponent into oncoming traffic.

Just one pushing incident this year has been deemed a sanctionable offence - Richmond's Rhyan Mansell on St Kilda's Liam O'Connell.

Christian stated that the AFL is looking to crack down on the potentially dangerous act.

“One of the things we've seen really prevalent this year is players pushing other players into contests and into marking contests,” Christian told SEN’s Whateley.

“That's certainly on the watch list, in terms of how that's going to play out.

“I think one of the things that's happened is that it's been aired in the media to such a degree that players will have taken notice.”

“There's only been one suspension, but it's certainly something that we're looking at.

“There was a couple of them that were very close. The one in the pre-season was probably the next closest, which involved (Reuben) Ginbey and (Sam) Lalor.

“That was very close, and we felt the (Rhyan) Mansell one was there.

“There's been others that we've looked at, but not quite to that degree.”