When does a case go straight to the Tribunal?
Rule- Australia
- AFL
- AFL Premiership
- Match Review
- Tribunal
- 2026
- Fans
A charge goes to the Tribunal without an early plea option in these situations:
Direct Tribunal Offences (no grading, the Tribunal sets the sanction at its absolute discretion):
- Intentional Contact with an Umpire
- Eye Gouging
- Stomping
- Striking an Umpire
- Spitting on or at an Umpire
- Spitting on Another Person
- Attempting to Strike an Umpire
- Behaving in an Abusive, Insulting, Threatening or Obscene Manner Towards or in Relation to an Umpire
- Serious Misconduct
Classifiable Offences referred up:
- anything graded Severe Impact that carries "Tribunal" in the table (four or more, three or more or two or more matches), unless the MRO specifies the minimum sanction only (see the early plea question);
- offences that do not fit the Classification Table;
- a player with a bad record, particularly for similar offences, at AFL or State League level; or
- any case the MRO refers in his absolute discretion.
Grand Final: an offence that would normally carry a suspension of two or more matches goes directly to the Tribunal, which sets the sanction at large.
Source: 2026 AFL Tribunal Guidelines, sections 3.1(b), (f), (h), 3.2 and 3.5.
Added 24 Oct 2026