Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale to fight for chance to play in AFL grand final after tribunal date set

Brisbane teammates claim they don’t need Lachie Neale to beat Fremantle in the grand final on Saturday as he prepares to fight a one-match ban at the tribunal on Tuesday night. The Lions’ appeal is set to hinge on evidence from Hawthorn star Jack Ginnivan, who copped a gut punch from Neale off-the-ball in the preliminary final. The reigning back-to-back premiers are also expected to reference multiple precedents, including one set by the tribunal involving West Coast star Harley Reid and a fiery western derby moment earlier in the year, to escape the ban. After the Lions elected to challenge the suspension, the tribunal will sit at 3pm AWST (5pm AEST) on Tuesday night to decide his fate. It comes as Melbourne great Garry Lyon says he had “not one ounce of sympathy for Lachie Neale whatsoever” following the incident.