Melbourne forward Kysaiah Pickett has been slapped with a three-game suspension by the AFL’s Match Review Officer (MRO) following a rough conduct charge.
The suspension stems from an incident during Friday night’s clash at the MCG, where Pickett made high contact with Collingwood’s Darcy Moore as they contested a loose ball.
The collision, which resulted in Moore suffering a concussion, saw Pickett’s right arm connect with the Magpies’ captain’s head.
The MRO has classified Pickett’s actions as rough conduct, specifically a high bump, and has graded the incident under three categories: careless conduct, high contact, and severe impact.
These classifications have led to a three-game suspension for Pickett, which will be enforced at the start of the 2025 season since Melbourne’s current campaign has concluded.
The Demons and Pickett now face the decision of whether to challenge the MRO’s ruling at the AFL Tribunal. If they accept the penalty, Pickett will miss the opening of his second consecutive season due to suspension. This follows his one-game ban at the start of the 2024 season for a similar incident involving Carlton’s Patrick Cripps during last year’s semi-final.
In addition to Pickett’s suspension, Melbourne defender Marty Hore has been fined $2,500. Hore can accept the reduced penalty with an early guilty plea for a charge of forceful front-on contact.
