The AFL acknowledges the decisions of the AFL Appeal Board last night in relation to the matters involving Charlie Cameron (Brisbane Lions) and Toby Bedford (GWS Giants). 

Both Cameron and Bedford have had their suspensions that were originally imposed by the MRO and then confirmed by the AFL Tribunal overturned and are eligible to play this weekend.

In the AFL's view (shared by the independent AFL Tribunal on Tuesday) the tackles by Cameron and Bedford were dangerous tackles, principally because both of the tackled players had their arms pinned (resulting in vulnerability) and were additionally brought to ground with excessive force. But we accept the Appeal Board’s decisions, albeit that they were made on a legal technicality involving a perceived technical deficiency in the Tribunal’s reasons.

The AFL will reflect on those reasons and will address the deficiency in the conduct of further Tribunal hearings this season. The AFL will also review the system at the end of the season, as we do every year.

Over the course of season 2024, there have been 18,508 tackles so far, with only seven dangerous tackle suspensions.

This means that only 0.04% of tackles have resulted in a suspension, with 99.96% of all tackles applied in 2024 effectively determined not to be dangerous tackles.

In 2023 there were 26,439 tackles, and 32 dangerous tackle suspensions.

Our game has never been tougher, the players have never been more skilful. The game continues to evolve and the players and clubs continue to adapt.

Nevertheless, to help address any perceived uncertainty, the AFL will today release another instalment of tackling examples that highlight a selection of the vast majority of tackles that are safely executed by our skilled athletes week on week. Those examples will be sent to each AFL Club, including their AFLW and State League programs as well as publicly for the purpose of ongoing education on safe tackling.

The AFL will continue to prioritise the health and safety of players in all aspects of the sport which includes the sanctioning of conduct that is considered to be dangerous when appropriate to do so.

The AFL readily accepts that in our 360-degree, full contact sport there are injuries, including concussive injuries, that are accidental (i.e. not careless or intentional) and do not attract a sanction, however consistent and proportionate sanctions when appropriate are an effective deterrence as has been starkly evident in the reduction of suspensions for dangerous tackles in 2024 as compared to 2023.

The AFL has made more than 30 changes to on-field rules and Match Review and Tribunal guidelines over the past two decades to further protect the safety of players in the game. Not only is the game safer for the players but it is spectacular and the matches are as close as they have ever been. Just under one quarter of the games this season have been decided by single figure margins, the closest season since 1961, driving all-time record attendances, record viewership, record membership and record participation. 

The below tackling examples were shared with all 18 Clubs today.