Brisbane Lions Player Cam Rayner Faces Potential Fine for Staging Incident
Brisbane Lions player Cam Rayner could be facing a fine from the AFL after he appeared to ‘stage’ for a free kick during a match against GWS. This has sparked growing calls for the league to introduce suspensions for this widely despised act.
Josh Rachele of the Adelaide Crows recently received a $1000 fine for a staging incident against Hawthorn, while Nick Daicos came under fire for a similar action against West Coast. On Sunday, it was Rayner who found himself in hot water.
Rayner appeared to go to ground too easily against the Giants, resulting in a free kick that led to a goal. GWS coach Adam Kingsley was captured on camera looking exasperated at the umpires’ decision.
On social media, fans expressed strong disapproval of the act. One user wrote: “It needs to be stamped out. It’s a blight on the game.” Another commented: “That ruck free was a blatant flop by Rayner. Absolutely no free there.” A third added: “Needs to be a fine coming to stamp it out. Umpires need to do better.”
Does the AFL Need to Start Banning Players?
On SEN radio on Monday morning, Kane Cornes questioned when the game became so soft. He mentioned seeing more diving and highlighted Rayner’s incident, where he got a free kick in the ruck that resulted in a goal. Cornes noted that it was a man-on-man contest with eyes on the ball, but Rayner hit the deck and flopped, leading to a free kick.
Cornes also pointed to Nick Daicos’ incident involving an overturned free kick. “I don’t think that’s a free kick,” he said. “If we sat down and designed our game and said what should be a free kick and what shouldn’t be, that’s not a free kick. Just to brush past him and Daicos flop and hit the ground and that to be an overturned free kick, goal against at a pivotal moment. That’s not the way that we designed the game to be drawn up.”
The usual punishment for staging is a $1000 fine. However, many are calling for the AFL to take stronger action as it seems the issue isn’t being resolved.
Collingwood great Nathan Buckley has previously called for flopping to result in an automatic one-week ban. “Staging has always been a part of the game,” Buckley said on SEN radio. “But I think anyone who accentuates head contact in a tackle and does it so blatantly, I think it should be a week. It should be elevated beyond a normal staging fine.”
GWS Shatters Records with Extraordinary Quarter
The Rayner incident didn’t cost GWS, as they delivered an incredible 14-goal blitz in the third term to win by 78 points. The Giants held a six-point lead at half-time but swamped Brisbane in the third quarter, outscoring them 14.2 to 0.3 on their way to a 26.10 (166) to 13.10 (88) victory at Engie Stadium.
This was the Giants’ biggest ever score, surpassing the 25.12 (162) they posted against Essendon in 2023. It also eclipsed the 13.4 that Essendon kicked in the third term against Footscray in 1982 as the highest-scoring third term in VFL/AFL history.
