Brisbane Lions superstar Lachie Neale faces missing the AFL grand final against Fremantle, bracing for a suspension over the gut punch that floored Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan.
Neale is set to be handed a one-match ban over the incident, which occurred during the Lions’ nine-point win in an epic preliminary final on Saturday night.
Brisbane would almost certainly challenge the decision at the tribunal, and the doubt over Neale’s availability will dominate headlines in grand final week.
If it stands, the suspension would mean Neale not only misses the premiership decider against his former club, but could also have played his last game for the Lions.
The two-time Brownlow Medal winner and premiership star is widely expected to join Collingwood as a free agent in the off-season.
Vision of the incident shows Ginnivan wrestling with Lions forward Eric Hipwood, before Neale jogs over and floors the Hawthorn player with a left-handed punch to the stomach.
Brisbane Lions superstar Lachie Neale faces missing the AFL grand final against Fremantle, bracing for a suspension over the gut punch that floored Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan
Neale is set to be handed a one-match ban over the incident, which occurred during the Lions’ nine-point win in an epic preliminary final on Saturday night. Neale (second from left) is pictured celebrating with Darcy Fort, Levi Ashcroft, coach Chris Fagan, and Charlie Cameron
Adelaide forward Riley Thilthorpe and Hawthorn pair James Sicily and Dylan Moore have all been suspended over similar incidents this season.
It comes after former Lions CEO Greg Swann – in his new role as AFL football boss – brought in a minimum one-match penalty for gut punches.
The preliminary final ended in controversy when a holding-the-ball free paid against Hawthorn’s Jarman Impey gifted Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage the go-ahead goal in the dying stages.
Hawks defenders Sicily and Tom Barrass had angry words with umpires immediately after the siren and face being fined for misconduct as a result.
