Lachie Neale's Grand Final Hopes Hang in the Balance as Lions Appeal Suspension

Lachie Neale's hopes of playing in the AFL grand final have not been extinguished yet, as the Brisbane Lions have decided to appeal his one-match suspension.

The Lions confirmed on Thursday afternoon that they will contest the tribunal's decision to ban Neale for one match, which was handed down after a four-and-a-half-hour hearing on Wednesday night.

Appeals Board Hearing Set for Friday

An appeals board hearing is scheduled for Friday at 4pm AEST, and it will be the final opportunity for Neale to overturn his suspension. The Lions will need to prove that the tribunal's finding was either an error of law, an unreasonable decision, a manifestly excessive classification, or a manifestly excessive sanction.

Neale has travelled to Melbourne with the Lions squad and will face Fremantle in Saturday's grand final at the MCG, as the Lions chase a third successive premiership.

Tribunal Hearing Details

Neale was found guilty of striking Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan in Saturday night's preliminary final. The two-time premiership captain argued that his action was not a strike, but a body-check.