The AFL has fined Collingwood veteran Brayden Maynard and former Gold Coast captain Touk Miller for making contact with an umpire during a heated melee on Saturday, but both players avoided suspensions. Meanwhile, Suns forward Ben Long has been handed a two-match ban for striking Maynard off the ball.
Incidents during the match
The melee erupted after Long struck Maynard in the ribs during the second quarter. Tensions escalated further when Maynard sprinted toward Long after the half-time siren, appearing to seek retribution. Umpire Nick Brown, anticipating trouble, positioned himself in front of Long. As Maynard charged in, he placed two hands on Brown's back to push the umpire aside. Replays also showed Miller, who was following Maynard, making contact with the same umpire.
Fines and suspensions
Maynard received three separate fines totaling $8,000, reduced to $7,000 with early guilty pleas for two of the charges. Miller was fined a combined $6,500, reduced to $6,000 with an early plea for one charge. Long's two-match ban stems from his strike on Maynard, which was deemed intentional and off the ball.
Eleven other players were fined for their involvement in the melees. Collingwood players Jordan De Goey, Harry Perryman, and Billy Frampton each received at least one fine. Gold Coast players Mac Andrew, Zeke Uwland, Nick Holman, Noah Anderson, Joel Jeffrey, Bailey Humphrey, Sam Collins, and Wil Powell also incurred fines.
AFL's stance on umpire contact
The AFL has a strict policy against intentional contact with umpires, highlighted by GWS captain Toby Greene's six-match suspension in 2021 for brushing past an umpire. Gold Coast was already fined $20,000 last month for accumulating five umpire contact incidents this season; Miller's infringement brings their tally to six. Collingwood now faces a potential $20,000 fine, as Maynard's charge is their fifth such incident this year.
Maynard's impact on the game
Despite the controversy, Maynard played a pivotal role in Collingwood's six-point victory. Coach Craig McRae praised Maynard, calling him the team's 'spiritual leader.' McRae noted that Maynard dislocated his shoulder three weeks ago, an injury that would end most players' seasons, but he worked hard to return. 'This guy popped his shoulder out three weeks ago, and for most that's season ending. This guy's worked hard and got it right,' McRae said. 'We love what he does and what he brings to the table. He inspires us in so many different ways. I'm certain we'll show a couple of those examples from late in the game when he saved goals or saved score involvements. He was really pivotal.'
