Neale Facing Grand Final Ban, Hawks Pair Fined

Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale faces a potential AFL grand final ban after being offered a one-match suspension for striking during Saturday night's preliminary final against Hawthorn.

The incident occurred in the first quarter, when Neale delivered a gut punch to Hawks player Jack Ginnivan, who was wrestling with Lions forward Eric Hipwood. The AFL's match review found Neale guilty of intentional conduct, medium impact, and body contact.

The Lions have confirmed they will challenge the ban, with Neale set to front the tribunal. If unsuccessful, he will miss Saturday's grand final against Fremantle at the MCG. Neale's 320-match career has been remarkably clean, with no previous suspensions, and his lawyers may argue that his exemplary record constitutes exceptional and compelling circumstances.

Neale has won two premierships as co-captain of the Lions, alongside Harris Andrews, in 2024 and 2025. A suspension would also raise questions about his future with the club, with the 33-year-old Brownlow Medal winner expected to leave as a free agent.

In other disciplinary action, Hawks players James Sicily and Tom Barrass have been fined $10,000 and $5,000 respectively for abusing umpire Hayden Meyer after the final siren. The pair's heated conversation with Meyer followed a controversial finish to the match, in which a holding-the-ball free kick paid against Hawthorn's Jarman Impey gifted Brisbane's Hugh McCluggage the match-clinching goal.

Sicily and Barrass were not offered an early plea, and the AFL determined that the fixed financial sanction for abusive language towards an umpire was inadequate. As a result, they were charged under the "other misconduct" provision.

Hawks midfielder Jai Newcombe was cleared over his first-quarter contact with Neale in a collision that involved opponents pushing the two players into each other.