Source : ABC NEWS
Brisbane Lions players are confident they can cover the potential absence of Lachie Neale in the grand final, with the two-time Brownlow medallist facing a one-match ban.
Neale and the Lions will challenge the suspension at the AFL tribunal on Tuesday evening.
The 33-year-old has been charged with striking Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan in last Saturday night’s preliminary final.
If the suspension is upheld, Neale will miss Saturday’s grand final against Fremantle at the MCG.
Lions teammate Jarrod Berry said it would be a blow to lose Neale.
But he said the Lions were equipped to overcome any adversity.
“One of our best traits is being able to deal with that [adversity],” Berry said.
“We do it well and there’s no point putting energy into it until we know the result.
“We’ll be sitting tight and praying that he gets off. But if he doesn’t, we’ll face it when it comes.”
Neale’s gut punch on Ginnivan was graded as intentional conduct, medium impact and body contact by match review officer Michael Christian.
There is damning vision showing Neale guilty of the behind-play strike and numerous precedents this season of other players being banned for one match for similar incidents.
But the Lions are set to argue the suspension should be downgraded to a fine.
They will cite a fresh clause that allowed Collingwood great Scott Pendlebury to avoid a suspension in March.
Pendlebury was given a one-match ban for rough conduct for a bump on Adelaide’s Josh Worrell.
He was found guilty by the tribunal but the sanction was downgraded to a $3,000 fine due to “compelling and exceptional circumstances”, a clause open to the tribunal that will be central to Neale’s case.
The relevant clause states: “Players will not automatically receive a reduced sanction for a good record.
“However, if a classifiable offence is contested or referred to the tribunal, a player with an exemplary record may argue that their good record constitutes exceptional and compelling circumstances.”
The Magpies successfully argued the clause applied to Pendlebury, who had never previously faced the tribunal in his storied 21-year career.
Neale also has not previously appeared before the tribunal in his 320-match career.
He is also a dual Brownlow medallist and premiership captain, plus a four-time All Australian.
Geelong coach Chris Scott does not agree with the provision.
“Seriously, when we’re starting to say, ‘There’s a rule for you because you’ve done good things for the game,’ it’s almost implying that other people haven’t done a good job,” Scott said on Fox Footy.
But Scott added: “I know his record is exceptional, but aside from that, I just like to see them play.
“I actually think that’s going to be hard to defend personally, but my hope is that he does play.”
AAP
