Updated June 16, 2026 — 7:36pm, first published 1:09pm
In today’s AFL Briefing, your daily wrap of footy news:
North Melbourne’s Paul Curtis will miss the Roos’ next three matches.
Shane Crawford urges Hawks forward Nick “the Wizard” Watson to bite his lip.
Former Carlton ace Brendan Fevola wants Blues to pursue an experienced senior coach.
North Melbourne forward Paul Curtis has failed have his three-match suspension for rough conduct overturned at the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night.
Curtis was offered the ban after his tackle last Saturday left West Coast’s Hamish Davis with concussion.
West Coast’s Hamish Davis after the tackle by North Melbourne’s Paul Curtis. AFL Photos The action was deemed careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.
Curtis, who did not give evidence at Tuesday’s tribunal hearing, argued through his counsel Justin Graham KC against both the “rough conduct” charge and “severe impact” grading.
Graham said a “low impact” grading was more appropriate, while claiming ball carrier Davis’s momentum was a significant factor in the incident.
He added there was no double action in the tackle and that the force went first through Davis’s knees and hands before he hit his head.
Curtis will miss matches against Richmond, Essendon and Port Adelaide. Getty Images Graham argued Davis’s arms were held at the biceps but not pinned, giving him “free movement” in the forearms, and that Curtis landed to the side rather than in his opponent’s back.
It was also noted West Coast players did not remonstrate with Curtis as play carried on.
“There’s no free kick and even the players behind the ball are not interested, it seems, in what occurred, so they haven’t noticed anything remarkable about the incident,” Graham told the tribunal.
While North Melbourne argued Davis was able to put out both hands, AFL lawyer Sam Bird said the Eagles player could not meaningfully use them to reduce the impact.
Bird said Curtis turned his body and dropped Davis rather than holding him up or releasing an arm, and argued the minimum three-match penalty for a charge of this nature was appropriate.
After hearing around 50 minutes of evidence, a tribunal chaired by Jeff Gleeson KC deliberated for another 50 minutes before returning their verdict.
The panel was comfortably satisfied Curtis’s tackle was a dangerous one.
“Curtis came in from the side, wrapped his arms around Davis’s arms and dropped and rotated Davis into the ground,” Gleeson said.
“Curtis made no apparent attempt to keep his feet, to release either of Davis’s arms or to rotate Davis onto himself.
“It was submitted on behalf of Curtis that it was the momentum of the tackle that caused the players to go to ground. We disagree.
“The vision shows that Davis had both feet on the ground when he handballed, and it was the technique of Curtis that result in him being brought to ground.” - AAP
Hawks great urges Watson to give the trash-talking a spell
Jon Pierik
Hawthorn premiership great Shane Crawford has urged pugnacious forward Nick Watson to temper his public comments, declaring there is no need to pour fuel on a raging fire mid-match.
Michael Sellwood and Nick Watson had plenty to say to each other in a firey round 13 match. Getty Images
Watson was in superb touch against the Western Bulldogs in round 13, booting three goals in a fiery first-half battle with opponent Michael Sellwood as his team built a 27-point lead by the main break.
He then raised eyebrows in a half-time interview with Fox Footy’s Ben Dixon, claiming: “I don’t care if he [Sellwood] talks, as long as he walks the walk. I’d love to see it in the second half.”
Selwood did just that, holding Watson to only two disposals for the rest of the game, while the Bulldog had eight amid a stunning comeback win by the Dogs.
Crawford, speaking on Tuesday at the Legends Game for Prostate Cancer launch, said Watson should have bitten his lip.
“Look, they call them the Hollywood Hawks, and the majority of the time, that creates a lot of energy for the rest of the team and the rest of the crowd,” Crawford said.
“But, you know, you don’t want [to give] a lot of views on the opposition – it’s hard enough as it is.
“If you’re in that situation again, you might pick your words a bit more carefully but, at the end of the day, we love it. You back yourself in, it didn’t work, so I’d imagine that if you see the situation next time, he’ll be a more selective.”
Watson remains a key player in the Hawks’ premiership hopes, and will have an important role to play in Friday night’s blockbuster against the Gold Coast Suns at People First Stadium.
Hawthorn have been linked to Gold Coast Suns’ Ben King and Bailey Humphrey. Getty Images
Key defender Tom Barrass (hamstring) and leading goalkicker Jack Gunston (foot) have been listed by the club as facing fitness tests. The Hawks have dropped three of their past five games, but still sit in fifth spot. They are just two points behind Melbourne (fourth) and Geelong (third) but…
Read the full article at The Sydney Morning Herald →📄Source document: AFL Photos
10 reports
The Sydney Morning HeraldParty-alignedCenter5 days agoNorth Melbourne forward Paul Curtis has been suspended for three matches following a failed appeal against a tribunal decision regarding a tackle that caused West Coast player Hamish Davis to suffer a concussion. Curtis' legal representative argued that the tackle should have been classified as 'low impact' rather than 'rough conduct,' citing factors such as Davis's momentum and the lack of double action in the tackle.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual account of the tribunal outcome and includes details from both the player's legal argument and the circumstances of the incident without apparent bias or subjective language.
Official sources cited
- organisation AFL Photos
- organisation Getty Images
The AgeParty-alignedCenter5 days agoNorth Melbourne player Paul Curtis has been suspended for three matches following a failed appeal against a tribunal decision regarding a tackle that caused West Coast's Hamish Davis to suffer a concussion. Curtis' legal representative argued that the tackle should have been classified as 'low impact' rather than 'rough conduct,' citing factors such as Davis's momentum and the lack of double action in the tackle.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual account of the tribunal outcome and includes details from both the player's legal argument and the circumstances of the incident without apparent bias or subjective language.
Official sources cited
- organisation AFL Photos
- organisation Getty Images
The AgeParty-alignedCenter8 days ago Curtis in hot water for ugly tacklePaul Curtis may face consequences after a tackle that resulted in West Coast player Hamish Davis being concussed.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual report on an incident involving a sports player. The language is neutral, with no evident bias or slant. The term 'hot water' is colloquial but commonly used in sports journalism to indicate potential repercussions. The article does not use loaded language or present a one-sided perspective.
The Sydney Morning HeraldParty-alignedCenter8 days ago Curtis in hot water for ugly tacklePaul Curtis may face consequences after a tackle that resulted in West Coast player Hamish Davis being concussed.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual report on an incident involving a sports player. The language is neutral, with no evident bias or slant. The phrase 'in hot water' is a common expression indicating potential consequences, and 'ugly tackle' is a descriptive term without overtly negative or positive connotation. No editorializing or loaded language is present.
The AgeParty-alignedCenter11 days ago Pie's ban overturned despite horror tackleThe AFL tribunal has overturned a suspension for Collingwood player Billy Frampton following a tackle that resulted in Brody Miochek breaking his neck.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sports-related incident without taking a stance on the matter. It presents the outcome of an AFL tribunal decision factually, without apparent bias or subjective language.
The Sydney Morning HeraldParty-alignedCenter11 days ago Pie's ban overturned despite horror tackleThe AFL tribunal has overturned a suspension for Collingwood player Billy Frampton following a tackle that resulted in Brody Miochek breaking his neck.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sports-related incident without taking a stance on the matter. It presents the outcome of an AFL tribunal decision factually, without apparent bias or subjective language.
The AgeParty-alignedCenter12 days ago Frampton cops three-match ban after King’s Birthday tackle that led to neck surgery for MihocekCollingwood defender Billy Frampton has received a three-match ban for a tackle that caused Melbourne player Brody Mihocek to suffer a fractured neck requiring surgery. Match review officer Michael Christian deemed the tackle careless and high with severe impact. Mihocek underwent surgery and is recovering. Collingwood will decide whether to appeal the ban at the AFL tribunal. This incident draws comparisons to a similar case involving Brayden Maynard in 2023.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sports-related incident without taking a stance on the matter. It presents facts regarding the injury, the ruling by the match review officer, and the response from the involved parties. There is no evident framing or slant in the language used, and it remains neutral in its
Official sources cited
- organisation Match review officer Michael Christian
- organisation Melbourne Football Club
- organisation Collingwood Football Club
The Sydney Morning HeraldParty-alignedCenter12 days ago Frampton cops three-match ban after King’s Birthday tackle that led to neck surgery for MihocekCollingwood defender Billy Frampton has received a three-match ban for a tackle that caused Melbourne player Brody Mihocek to suffer a fractured neck requiring surgery. Match review officer Michael Christian deemed the tackle careless and high with severe impact. Mihocek underwent surgery and is recovering. Collingwood will decide whether to appeal the ban at the AFL tribunal. This incident recalls a similar case from the 2023 finals involving Brayden Maynard.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sports-related incident without taking a stance on the matter. It presents facts regarding the injury, the ruling by the match review officer, and the response from the involved parties. There is no evident bias in the language or framing of the event.
Official sources cited
- organisation Match review officer Michael Christian
- organisation Melbourne Football Club
- organisation Collingwood Football Club
ABC News (Australia)State / PublicCenter12 days agoBrody Mihocek, a player for the Melbourne Demons, sustained a neck fracture during an AFL match against the Magpies on Monday. He was stretchered off the field and later underwent successful surgery. The team reported that Mihocek is recovering well and is already walking following the procedure.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on a sports-related injury and recovery process without any political commentary, framing, or bias. It provides factual information about the event, the medical treatment, and quotes from officials involved.
Official sources cited
- organisation Melbourne Football Club Statement
- organisation Alan Richardson, Melbourne's General Manager of AFL Football Performance
ABC News (Australia)State / PublicCenter14 days ago Suns ruck investigated for alleged homophobic slur in VFL matchMax Knobel, an untried Gold Coast ruckman, is under investigation by the AFL for allegedly making a homophobic slur during a VFL match against Brisbane. The incident has been referred to the AFL's integrity unit. If found guilty, Knobel could face a significant ban. This follows several similar cases in recent years, including Koby Evans receiving a four-game ban earlier this year for a homophobic slur. The AFL has taken action to address homophobia in the sport.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about an ongoing investigation into a sports-related incident without taking a stance or using biased language. It reports on multiple instances of players facing consequences for alleged homophobic behavior, maintaining neutrality throughout.
Official sources cited
- organisation AFL Integrity Unit
- organisation Gold Coast Football Club
Australia