The Brisbane Lions have appealed the one-match suspension of dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale, who was banned for striking Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan in a preliminary final on 21 September 2026. The appeal gives Neale a final chance to play in the grand final scheduled for 28 September.
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The Brisbane Lions will challenge Neale's one-game suspension for striking Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan in last Saturday night's preliminary final.
The Brisbane Lions head to the AFL tribunal to challenge Lachie Neale's ban for striking Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan, in the hopes of freeing the dual Brownlow medallist for the grand final. Follow live.
The star Brisbane Lions midfielder needs to overturn or downgrade the one-match ban he got for striking Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan to play in Saturday’s grand final against his former club, Fremantle.
Lachie Neale fails in his bid to overturn the grand final ban.
The tribunal says it had reason not to overturn Lachie Neale's appeal. Now the AFL world waits to hear whether the Lions will launch an appeal.
Veteran Lion Dayne Zorko has described the AFL tribunal’s decision to uphold Lachie’s Neale’s one-match suspension as “disappointing” as Brisbane weigh up their appeal options ahead of Saturday’s grand final.
Lachie Neale's father says his son "will be in two minds" about whether he appeals his AFL grand final ban because he does not want to be a distraction.
Lachie Neale has one last hope of playing in the grand final after the Brisbane Lions chose to appeal his one-match suspension.