Lachie Neale cleared to play in Grand Final after tribunal win
The two-time Brownlow Medal winner won his tribunal case Thursday night. He can now face Fremantle in Saturday's Grand Final.
Lachie Neale was charged with striking Jack Ginnivan in the preliminary final. The charge threatened his spot in the decider.
The 33-year-old faced the tribunal and appeals board this week. Neale became emotional when the verdict went his way.
Brisbane's officials thought they had little chance of overturning the case, so the win was significant. Neale played one of the great halves in recent Grand Final history last year.
He overcame a calf injury to face Geelong. Neale scored a crucial goal from outside 50 metres.
Wet weather is forecast for Saturday. This makes him even more valuable as one of the cleanest players in the competition.
- 33 years old
- Age
- 2-time winner
- Brownlow Medals
- 17 disposals, 7 clearances, goal from 50m
- Last Grand Final performance
- Fremantle at Grand Final
- Saturday opponent
Why it mattersNeale is a game-changer for Brisbane. Losing him would have seriously hurt their chances of winning back-to-back premierships.
AustraliaOne of Australia's best AFL players will now play in the Grand Final, which millions of Australians will watch on Saturday.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 32 min ago
