The Match Review Officer’s findings are in from Friday night’s game between Geelong and Essendon
Dylan Shiel looks dejected after Essendon’s loss to Geelong at GMHBA Stadium in round 22, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
DYLAN Shiel has been sent straight to the Tribunal for a shove that put his Essendon teammate Luamon Lual in a dangerous position against Geelong on Friday night.
In a highly unusual case, Shiel has been cited by the Match Review Officer for rough conduct, despite his teammate – not an opponent – being the player he put in danger.
In the game at GMHBA Stadium, Shiel shoved Geelong’s Mark O’Connor into Lual, who was mid-air attempting a high intercept mark.
Luckily, Lual managed to jam his hands into the turf just before his head hit the surface, and he was later subbed off, although not with any specified injury.
The MRO has sent Shiel straight to the Tribunal and left the length of any sanction up to them. However, the AFL has said their view is a one-match ban is appropriate.
“The incident involving Essendon’s Dylan Shiel’s push on Geelong’s Mark O’Connor was assessed as Rough Conduct by the MRO and has been referred directly to the Tribunal without being graded,” the MRO said in a statement.
“If the charge is upheld by the Tribunal, while the Tribunal will determine the sanction in their sole discretion, the AFL’s view is that a suspension of one match is the appropriate penalty having regard to both the impact to O’Connor and the significant potential that Shiel’s teammate, Luamon Lual, could have suffered a serious head or neck injury arising from Shiel’s unreasonable conduct, which caused Lual’s head and neck to make contact with the ground with force.”
While highly unusual for a player to be cited for endangering a teammate rather than an opponent, there is scope in the rules of the game for this to happen.
“In this respect, the Laws of Australian Football state that a player owes a duty of care to all other players, not just their opponents,” the AFL statement read.