Overview

• Essendon midfielder Dylan Shiel was banned for one match after pushing Geelong’s Mark O’Connor, which led to teammate Luamon Lual being knocked over and medically assessed.
• Tribunal chair Renee Enbom found the force of Shiel’s push unreasonable and ruled he breached his duty of care.
• Shiel’s defense argued that the laws are designed to protect opponents and do not cover incidental harm to teammates, with AFL counsel Nick Pane KC acknowledging the case did not fit neatly into existing gradings.
• The AFL cited Rhyan Mansell’s three-game ban as precedent, a comparison noted by coaches during the hearing.
• Adelaide has signaled it will challenge Rory Laird’s one-game rough-conduct ban for a high bump, setting up another tribunal test case.