Lachie Neale has broken his silence following the decision by an AFL tribunal to uphold his one-week suspension for a gut-punch on Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan.
The Brisbane midfielder has arrived in Melbourne alongside his teammates ahead of the grand final against Fremantle on Saturday.
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He addressed the media and shared his thoughts following the news he will remain banned for the showcase event.
“The club and myself have decided to appeal the tribunal’s decision, obviously very hopeful that that’s successful.
“Regardless of the result (at the Appeals board), I’ll be here to support the boys and the club this week,” Neale said.
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”It’s a big week for the club, thank you.”
Neale’s sole chance of featuring at the MCG now rests on the decision of the AFL Appeals board.
Brisbane announced on Wednesday the club will take its case to the committee, having already failed with its initial appeal.
Neale gave evidence via video link claiming his actions against Ginnivan was a “bodycheck” instead of a strike, but after a hearing that lasted more than four-and-a-half hours, including two hours of deliberation, the Tribunal upheld the striking ban.
A camera captured the moment Neale left the club after being given the crushing tribunal news.
His face showed all the anguish expected of a player who has just learned they will miss the biggest game of the year.
Neale is flying with teammates to Melbourne and will face reporters after 3pm (AEST).
He was wearing official team clobber and a yellow hat as he walked through Brisbane Airport past journalists and TV camera operators.
Earlier on Wednesday, Neale was spotted out and about with girlfriend Emma Field.
Field did not accompany Neale when he attended the club’s Brownlow Medal function in Brisbane on Monday night.
She was also not with the footballer when he flew out of Brisbane on Wednesday.
While the Lions had a three-pronged argument to have the suspension overturned, the most extraordinary twist came when Neale told the tribunal he had spoken with Ginnivan over the phone earlier on Tuesday.
In its in 1657-word finding, the AFL tribunal said Neale’s testimony was only “hearsay” — the most brutal word to emerge from the hearing.
Veteran footy reporter Caroline Wilson said on Channel 7 on Tuesday Ginnivan had done “the best he could to help Neale get off”.
The tribunal panel of Jeff Gleeson KC, Darren Gaspar and Scott Stevens showed they clearly thought little of Neale’s testimony as Gleeson explained why the charge was upheld in a statement released by the AFL.
“We place little weight on the hearsay evidence from Neale about Ginnivan having said to him in a phone call today that he felt it was more like a bump or a body check,” Gleeson said.
“No application was made to call evidence to this effect from Ginnivan and there was no opportunity for the hearsay evidence from Neale to be tested in cross examination of Ginnivan.
“Neale’s evidence was that he did not clench his fist, and there is no video evidence of sufficient clarity to the contrary.”
Neale’s strike was in retaliation to Ginnivan’s earlier wrestle with Brisbane’s Eric Hipwood.
Following a tackle, the pair went to the ground with Ginnivan ending up standing over the Lions forward pushing down several times towards his opponent’s chest and neck.
News.com.au has contacted Ginnivan’s management for comment.
Richmond legend Matthew Richardson said Ginnivan’s striking action towards Hipwood was “worse” that what Neale did in reprisal.
“Neither of these incidents should have you missing a Grand Final. Move on,” Richardson posted on X.
He earlier wrote: “Cannot believe Lachie Neale will miss the Grand Final.
“The footage available does not back up the charge in my view. Shame the game now won’t have one of the great mids playing.”
The 33-year-old may have already played his final game for Brisbane with an off-season move to Collingwood seen as a certainty for the two-time Brownlow Medallist.
The Lions will need to pull a rabbit out of the hat because of the terminology required to successfully appeal a tribunal ruling.
The club on Tuesday argued that he didn’t strike Jack Ginnivan; that if he did strike Jack Ginnivan it wasn’t medium impact; and that if he did strike with medium impact he should be cleared due to his 320 games without suspension.
There are only four available grounds the club can argue at the AFL Appeals Board hearing:
1. An error of law that has a material impact on the decision of the Tribunal;
2. That the decision was so unreasonable that no Tribunal acting reasonably could have come to that decision having regard to the evidence before it;
3. The classification of the offence was manifestly excessive or inadequate, or;
4. The sanction imposed was manifestly excessive or inadequate.
The appeal hearing will take place on Thursday, just 48 hours before players will walk out onto the MCG.
Originally published as Lachie Neale breaks silence following AFL tribunal saga as Brisbane drop bombshell announcement