Gold Coast Suns hit with massive fine for umpire contact

The Gold Coast Suns have been handed a $20,000 fine by the AFL after the club's fifth incident of a player making contact with an umpire this season. Daniel Rioli was found guilty of making careless contact with an umpire during the Suns' 45-point loss to Geelong at Kardinia Park last weekend. The AFL tribunal upheld the charge against Rioli on Tuesday night, with the league handing down the $20,000 penalty to the club on Wednesday. The league warned all clubs before the season, and again in May, about the sanctions for repeated incidents of careless contact with an umpire, with five set as the threshold. "This season, we have continued to observe a high number of umpire contact incidents across the league," AFL general manager of football performance Greg Swann said in a statement. "Amongst these instances of umpire contact, a number have resulted in significant injuries to the affected umpires. "This is a trend in the game which we do not want to see continue." Swann said fines would be given at the AFL's discretion if more Suns players were found guilty of careless contact with an umpire. AAP [Image text:] VOAO AFD SIXT ARIN