Brisbane to challenge Lachie Neale ban that threatens grand final

Brisbane will fight to keep Lachie Neale in Saturday's grand final against Fremantle at the MCG. The Lions confirmed they will challenge the one-match ban offered to their former co-captain for striking. Lose at the tribunal, and he misses. Win, and he plays.

The charge comes from Brisbane's nine-point preliminary final win over Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday night. Neale was cited for a left-handed gut punch to Hawk Jack Ginnivan in the first quarter. The hit landed behind play and floored Ginnivan.

The Match Review graded it as intentional conduct, medium impact and body contact, according to ABC News. That grading carries a one-match suspension. New AFL match review guidelines automatically grade intentional strikes to the stomach as medium impact. The result is a ban.

What makes this stand out is Neale's record. He has never been suspended in a 320-match career. He and Harris Andrews were co-captains when the Lions won the 2024 and 2025 premierships. A failed challenge would end his run of availability on the biggest stage.

Brisbane's decision to challenge was set to be formalised later on Sunday. The grand final against Fremantle is at the MCG on Saturday.

The prelim started with a separate flashpoint. Hawthorn midfielder Jai Newcombe crashed into Neale immediately after the opening siren in the opening seconds. Play was stopped after the collision, as shown in vision shared by AFL. Newcombe was cleared of any offence over that contact.

The finish was controversial. Hawthorn's Jarman Impey was penalised for holding the ball — the rule that punishes a player for failing to dispose of it correctly when tackled — late in the game. Hugh McCluggage kicked the match-clinching goal from the free kick.

Anger spilled over after the final siren. Hawthorn captain James Sicily was fined $10,000 for abusing umpire Hayden Meyer. Teammate Tom Barrass was fined $5,000 for the same offence. Both were charged under the 'other misconduct' provision with no early plea offered after the AFL deemed a fixed sanction inadequate.

For fans, this means a nervous wait. Brisbane beat Hawthorn to earn a shot at a third straight flag. Now their midfield leader needs a tribunal win to join them.