Brisbane Lions star cops punishment from AFL over widely-despised act against GWS Giants

It’s the same thing that’s landed Collingwood star Nick Daicos in hot water.

Brisbane Lions player Cam Rayner has been hit with a $1000 fine from the AFL on Monday after he ‘staged’ for a free kick against GWS on Sunday. But calls are growing for the AFL to start dishing out suspensions over the widely-despised act.

Josh Rachele of the Adelaide Crows copped a $1000 fine for a staging incident against Hawthorn on Thursday night, while Nick Daicos came under fire for the same thing against West Coast on Saturday. And on Sunday it was Rayner who found himself in hot water.

Rayner appeared to go to ground a bit too easily against the Giants, winning a free kick that resulted in a goal. GWS coach Adam Kingsley was captured on camera looking exasperated that the umpires paid the free kick.

On social media, fans were heavy in their condemnation of the act, with one writing: “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.” While 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 said: “When did our game become so soft? I’m seeing more diving. Cam Rayner got a free kick in the ruck on the weekend that he kicked a goal from early in the game where it was just a man-on-man contest, eyes on the ball, too strong, Rayner hits the deck and flops, free kick, goal against.

“I don’t think with Daicos, the overturned one on Ginbey, is a free kick. 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 punishment if a player is found to have ‘staged’ is usually a $1000 fine. But many are calling on the AFL to be stronger because it doesn’t seem to be ridding it from the game.

Collingwood great Nathan Buckley has previously called for flopping to draw 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 shatter records with extraordinary quarter

The Rayner incident didn’t end up costing GWS, who produced 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) win at Engie Stadium.

It was the Giants’ biggest ever score, going past 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.