Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard has been fined $5,000 by the AFL Match Review Officer (MRO) for pushing umpire Nicholas Brown during a heated clash with Gold Coast Suns player Ben Long.

The incident occurred during a match at People First Stadium, where Maynard attempted to intervene in a melee after Long delivered a brutal bump from behind that left Maynard clutching his ribs.While Maynard faced scrutiny for the umpire contact, the MRO ruled it did not constitute a direct tribunal offence or a fixed financial offence.Instead, both Maynard and Touk Miller, who pushed Maynard toward the umpire, received fines for engaging in 'any other act of misconduct'.Long, however, was suspended for two weeks for the initial hit on Maynard.Despite the altercation, Collingwood secured a hard-fought victory.Maynard, who later revealed a possible broken rib, defended his actions, stating that retaliation is part of the game.Analysts and fans largely supported Maynard, with some criticizing the Gold Coast Suns' conduct.The incident highlights ongoing tensions in AFL matches and the strict enforcement of rules regarding player conduct.