The club confirmed the appeal on Wednesday afternoon, a day after the AFL tribunal upheld the ban that was imposed for a gut‑punch on Hawthorn forward Jack Ginnivan during the preliminary final.
The appeal will be considered by the AFL Appeals Board, chaired by Richard Loveridge, which is expected to sit on Thursday afternoon and has the authority to reverse the tribunal’s decision.
Neale’s situation mirrors last year’s drama, when he recovered from a calf injury in time to star in the second half of Brisbane’s Grand Final victory over Geelong, making his potential absence this year a high‑profile storyline.
The tribunal criticised Neale for providing “inconsistent” evidence about the clash and rejected the Lions’ attempt to downgrade the impact from medium to low, which would have reduced the sanction to a fine. Even his record of 320 AFL matches without suspension could not spare him.
Teammate Dayne Zorko described the outcome as “disappointing” on Nova radio, saying the club will pursue every avenue to keep Neale in the side. Neale’s father, Robbie, told ABC Adelaide that his son would not want to be a distraction and hopes the appeal succeeds, while former Fremantle captain David Mundy defended the tribunal’s decision, noting the AFL’s firm stance on gut punches.
If the appeal is successful, Neale will be cleared to play in the Grand Final, giving Brisbane a stronger chance at a third consecutive premiership. A failed appeal would mean he misses the league’s showcase match, leaving the Lions to adjust their midfield strategy at the MCG.