Lachie Neale's AFL Appeal Board hearing: Live updates as Brisbane star challenges one-match striking ban

Brisbane's Lachie Neale has launched an appeal against his one-match striking ban in a last-ditch effort to play in the grand final against Fremantle. Neale's appeal to the AFL Appeal Board comes two days before the decider, after the AFL Tribunal upheld his ban for striking Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan on Tuesday.

The Appeal Board is now considering its decision after hearing submissions from both the AFL and Neale's defence team.

Live Updates

The Appeal Board has retired to consider its decision.

Earlier, Andrew Woods KC, representing the AFL, concluded his submissions, with no questions from the panel.

Woods KC argued that Neale's defence was focusing on "minutiae" and that the Tribunal had taken into account everything it needed to.

"The simple fact is that every suspension costs the next match. For a player suspended in the preliminary final, the next match is the grand final," Woods KC said.

"It's really hard to see and support the argument that they didn't take it into account," he added.

Neale's defence team, led by Anderson, argued that the Tribunal should have taken into account three factors: Neale's "incredible" record, the minor nature of Ginnivan's injury, and the impact of missing the grand final.

"The important thing about the rules, is that the rules provide for the opportunity to avoid a one-match penalty in exceptional and compelling circumstances," Anderson said.

"The members of the panel would be abundantly aware what it means for a player to have the opportunity to play in and win a grand final," Anderson added, citing examples of players who would give up significant achievements for the chance to play in a grand final.

However, Woods KC rejected the argument that the grand final was not taken into account for exceptional and compelling circumstances, pointing out that the Tribunal had explicitly considered it twice.

The Appeal Board's decision is yet to be announced.