Source : the age
Brisbane’s dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale is heading for a high-stakes hearing at the AFL tribunal as he fights to play Saturday’s grand final against his former team, Fremantle.
Neale, 33, was banned from playing in the grand final when the AFL’s match review officer on Sunday found him guilty of striking Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan in the closing minutes of the first quarter of Saturday’s preliminary final.
The MRO found Neale made intentional, medium-force contact to Ginnivan’s body and banned him for one match, but as soon as that verdict became official the Brisbane Lions confirmed they would challenge it at the tribunal.
The charge arises from an interaction between Neale and Ginnivan on the 50m line at the city end of the MCG.
The fact Ginnivan played on, seemingly without discomfort, could possibly form part of Neale’s defence if he seeks to get the charge downgraded to a low-impact strike, which would free him up to play in Saturday’s grand final.
However, nine players have been suspended for offences of this nature this season, and the two who challenged them at the tribunal were unsuccessful.
Neale was under an injury cloud going into last year’s decider but played as a substitute, shedding the vest in the second half and starring as his team charged to its second successive premiership.
Now with a Lions three-peat on the line, Neale is again the focus of grand final week.
What’s more, the match is widely understood to be his final outing in Brisbane colours, as it’s expected he will move to Collingwood as a free agent in the off-season.
Although he hasn’t been in peak form this finals series, Neale – a former Lions captain – remains a pivotal cog in Brisbane’s midfield. But his footballing prowess has been overshadowed this year by off-field dramas, firstly the collapse of his relationship with wife Jules, who moved home to Western Australia with their two children, followed by continued speculation over his playing future.
Neale copped a heavy knock in the opening seconds of Saturday’s thrilling preliminary final win over Hawthorn, coling off second best after a collision at a centre ball-up with Hawk Jai Newcombe.
