Brisbane forward Logan Morris has been cleared by Match Review Officer Michael Christian for a controversial push on Darcy Moore during the Lions’ loss to Collingwood.
Midway through the last quarter at the Gabba, Morris made light contact with the Pies captain as they ran back with the flight, with Moore’s head clipped by teammate Jeremy Howe’s knee.
Moore was subbed out of the game with a bleeding ear but was cleared of concussion, meaning the skipper will be free to face Essendon on Anzac Day.
Pushing into marking contests has become a controversial topic in the AFL of late, with several pre-season incidents going unpunished by the MRO before Richmond’s Rhyan Mansell received a three-match ban for a push which left St Kilda’s Liam O’Connell with a concussion.
However, Morris’ push was deemed to not be significant enough to merit a suspension, with his eyes being on the ball throughout also factoring in.
“With his eyes on the ball, Morris makes contact with Moore, with Howe making high contact to Moore in the marking contest,” an MRO statement reads.
“It was the view of the MRO that the contact from Morris on Moore was not of a forceful nature and that Morris, under the circumstances, could not have reasonably foreseen that Howe would make high contact with another player in the manner that occurred.
“Accordingly, it was the view of the MRO that Morris’s conduct was not unreasonable in the circumstances.”
‘Grow the f–k up’: Neale blasts social media ‘cowards’
Brisbane co-captain Lachie Neale has savaged social media ‘cowards’ in an explosive Instagram post, taking aim at people using the platform to abuse AFL players.
After the Lions were defeated by Collingwood by 52 points to mark their first loss of the 2025 season, an unnamed player was abused online.
The incident prompted the dual Brownlow Medallist to issue a heated response in an Instagram story on Friday morning, describing keyboard warriors as ‘the biggest stain on society’.
“People hiding behind keyboards to attack players are the biggest stain on society,” he wrote.
“It’s getting beyond a joke now, the things I’ve seen sent are some of the most horrid messages I’ve ever seen.
“It’s a game of football, grow the f–k up. Cowards. Put your face and name to your words.”
Neale’s post comes just days after Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli took several days of leave after being hit with racist abuse in response to an online post in which he described his ‘hate’ for Hawthorn.
The Lions released a statement throwing their support behind the two-time Brownlow Medallist, and confirming a player received online hate following the loss to the Pies.
“The club is aware of a player receiving some appalling messages from online trolls following the match last night,” a clubs spokesperson said.
“Unfortunately it is an ongoing issue players are having to deal with, we stand by them in calling it out. The matter has been reported.”
Fagan explains heated Zorko run-in
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan insists there is no bad blood between him and veteran Dayne Zorko, following a tense exchange on the interchange bench during the Lions’ loss to Collingwood.
Following a poor minute in which Zorko gave away a free kick for umpire dissent and then produced a bad turnover which led directly to a Magpies goal, Fagan gave the 36-year old a talking-to as he made his way off, with Zorko firing back.
But speaking after the match, Fagan said he merely told the temperamental star to ‘calm down’.
“I just talked to him about it. He was a bit hot under the collar at the time,” Fagan said.
“I just said ‘,ate, you better calm down. Just calm down’, so it wasn’t anything more than that.
“I don’t know if it looked like it was anything more than that, but it certainly wasn’t.
“That’s all I basically said to him – ‘just calm down, mate’.”
While finishing with 20 disposals, Zorko lacked his usual influence on proceedings from half-back as the Magpies stormed away for a 52-point win to inflict the Lions’ first loss of the season.
Tigers’ Balta call divides opinion, Dees’ massive selection statement
Richmond have selected Noah Balta for Saturday’s AFL clash with Gold Coast just days before he is due to be sentenced for assault.
In other big selection news for round six, Marcus Bontempelli returns for the Western Bulldogs, Oscar Allen is out but Tim Kelly is in for West Coast, while Melbourne have axed Jacob van Rooyen and Bayley Fritsch.
Balta has pleaded guilty to assault and will be sentenced in court on April 22.
That appearance will come just three days after Balta fronts up against the Suns.
His selection is set to cause huge controversy given the serious nature of the assault.
Balta served a four-match club-imposed ban over December’s incident and returned to play via a VFL practice match on Sunday.
Earlier this week, Richmond coach Adem Yze said Balta had served his suspension and deserved to be back in the selection frame.
The return has divided opinion around the footy world, though the lawyer representing the man Balta hit, Thomas Washbrook, has said he ‘deserves a second chance’.
“He presented himself to police the following day, made full admissions and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity,” John Suta from John Suta Legal told ABC Radio.
“He appropriately settled my client’s claim for damages in the civil jurisdiction and has made amends.
“He conducted himself as a model litigant in the matter… he deserves a second chance.”
Earlier this week, though, Matt Cronin, who started the Pat Cronin foundation in honour of his son, who was killed in a one-punch attack in a pub fight in 2016, said he was ‘really disappointed’ in the Tigers for allowing Balta to return at all.
“I’m really disappointed as a Richmond supporter,” Cronin said on 3AW.
“I hope he never comes back. That’s my opinion of him.
“He has brought Richmond into disrepute.”
Cronin will meet with the Tigers and AFL CEO Andrew Dillon in coming weeks, with the league ‘open to discussing how the next Balta-type situation can be navigated’, according to Nine’s Tom Morris.
Noah Balta. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Emerging star Sam Lalor returns for Richmond, while Gold Coast welcome back Connor Budarick from a rib injury at the expense of Sam Clohesy.
Bulldogs superstar Bontempelli (calf) will play his first match of the AFL season in his side’s Easter Sunday test against St Kilda, but James Harmes is out with a foot injury.
Bontempelli’s return will be a huge boost for the Bulldogs (2-3), who have lost their past two games.
“We can’t expect him to play 90 per cent game time or anything like that,” Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said.
“He’s trained extremely hard with his cross-training for the duration of his recovery, but there’s no replacement for playing.
“So he’ll blow up a little bit, but obviously it’s exciting having him back in the team and we really welcome that.”
Carlton have lost Harry McKay (concussion) and Brodie Kemp (Achilles) for Friday night’s encounter with North Melbourne, while the axe has fallen on Sam Docherty.
Blake Acres, Elijah Hollands and Lewis Young all come back, while the Kangaroos welcome back George Wardlaw.
The match marks Hollands’ first appearance of the season after taking time out for personal reasons.
Fremantle have brought in former Demon Oscar McDonald to replace the suspended Patrick Voss for Saturday’s clash with Melbourne at the MCG.
The 0-5 Demons made a big selection statement by axing premiership star Fritsch and key forward Van Rooyen among three changes.
Koltyn Tholstrup, former Lion Tom Fullarton and Daniel Turner were all called up for Melbourne.
Last-placed West Coast have made four changes for their Friday evening meeting with Essendon.
Jeremy McGovern is back from a groin injury, Kelly has won a recall after one WAFL appearance, while ruckman Matt Flynn and midfielder Elijah Hewett are also back.
Captain Allen, who has struggled to make an impact this year, has been managed, while Bailey Williams has lost his spot in the ruck to Flynn.
Essendon have recalled key forward Peter Wright but lost Nick Bryan to a season-ending knee injury.
Adelaide have regained defender Nick Murray for their crunch clash with GWS, with Giants spearhead Jesse Hogan named despite his battle with soreness.
(with AAP)
