Channel Seven and SEN reporter Tom Morris broke the news on Sunday afternoon that Brisbane received notice from the AFL, prior to the official publication of the Match Review Panel's findings for Brisbane's nine-point preliminary final win over Hawthorn, that Neale was set to be banned from next Saturday's Grand Final against Fremantle.
Neale's 'gut punch' on Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan on Saturday has been graded as a 'medium impact' and 'intentional' strike, which is subject to a one-match ban with an early guilty plea or two-matches with an unsuccessful tribunal challenge.
Brisbane are almost certain to challenge the finding given the stakes involved, with the Grand Final set to be Neale's final appearance for the club.
Brisbane's legal team either would need to convince the AFL tribunal that Neale's hit should be downgraded to 'low impact', which would warrant a fine instead of a suspension, or that Neale should be subject to the 'exceptional and compelling circumstances' provision that Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury received earlier this year.
Pendlebury successfully had a one-match ban downgraded to a fine, primarily on the basis of Pendlebury's clean record that has never seen him banned in more than 400 AFL matches.
Neale has also never been suspended in 320 games.
But Pendlebury faced a rough and careless conduct charge for a bump on Adelaide defender Josh Worrell, as opposed to Neale being in trouble for an intentional punch similar to at least three other incidents this year.
Both tribunal challenges for medium impact intentional striking bans this year, including Carlton's Will Hayward following the Good Friday game against North Melbourne, were unsuccessful.
The Lions are gunning for the club's second 'threepeat' following Premiership wins in 2024 and 2025, whilst Fremantle are aiming for a maiden flag in their second Grand Final appearance.
Aaron Murphy has been with Flashscore since 2018 and, as the founding editor of the Australian newsdesk, has reported on-site at several major events in Melbourne including the Australian Open, State of Origin, A-League, NBL and international cricket. You can read his pieces here and contact him on X or LinkedIn.
