AFL grand final: Appeal board make shock call on Lachie Neale’s status for grand final

Adrian Anderson argues neither party can introduce fresh evidence, saying Brisbane does not understand why the vision wasn’t available, as it was from a Champion Data trial.

Under AFL regulations, no one is able to obtain tape vision unless given permission by the AFL; therefore, it should have been available to address at the Tribunal.

“Mr Neale is not challenging the finding of intentional, medium impact and to the body; therefore, the vision is not relevant,” he argues.

Rather, they are challenging the decision-making behind the application of exceptional and compelling circumstances. .

AFL council Andrew Woods said they will be using new footage that came to light “yesterday morning.”

Supposedly, it’s a far sharper image, which begs the question of how this wasn’t available on Tuesday.

Woods is arguing for the footage to be admissible. He argues it is relevant and the AFL felt it was important to bring the new vision to the Appeals Board.

It started four minutes late. Hopefully, we are not here for 4.5 hours like on Tuesday, but there’s plenty on the line.

Neale is in a club polo this time as opposed to his suit at the Tribunal.

Fremantle defender Jordan Clark has backed Brennan Cox to be ready for anything if he is picked for the AFL grand final but admits there will be a heartache story among his squad when the team is announced later today.

The Dockers arrived in Melbourne shortly after 1pm WST with both Cox and Oscar McDonald on the plane. They appear to be competing for the same position in the line up after Cox recovered from a calf injury.

Clark said Cox is ready, but everyone knows somebody will miss out.

“Coxy has been a wonderful player for us. If he comes in or whichever way it falls, I’m confident in both,” he said.

“There always is (heartache). You just wrap your arms around them. As cliched as it is, there is always a heartbreak story. Unfortunately it’s got to happen every year. They’re still part of us.”

The Dockers are ON THE GROUND in Melbourne!

Just a tick over 47 hours until the ball gets tossed in the air at the MCG...

Here’s what it looked like while the team was in the air.

The Dockers are set to be on Melbourne soil any moment, with their flight scheduled to touch down at 3pm local time / 1pm WA time.

Dual All-Australian defender Jordan Clark will chat to the media upon arrival.

2pm WA time is this afternoon’s slot for the start of Lachie Neale’s appeal, where the Lion will roll the dice for one final time in an attempt to be cleared to play on Saturday.

There’s some chatter around today about a potential new angle of vision that will shed further light on the case - which would be a stunning development if that hadn’t been uncovered in the three days between the incident and the initial tribunal hearing.

We’ll be listening in to the appeal via video conference and bring you all the updates in this blog in just over an hour’s time.

As mentioned earlier, Melbourne’s weather is NOT coming to the grand final party.

Saturday’s forecast is for showers, with anywhere between 3 and 15mm of rain set to fall in the metro area.

As a result, there are reports that the curtain-raiser - an under-17s Futures clash - has been moved away from the MCG for grand final day, and will now take place at Whitten Oval in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Best to pack a poncho if you’ve got tickets in the outer, Freo fans...

The Wiggles will be front and centre at Friday’s grand final parade - and there’s no prizes for guessing which team ‘Strong John’ is supporting as he dons his purple skivvy.

“I’m already dressed for the occasion. Go Freo!” he said this morning.

When Freo last reached a grand final in 2013, they punched their ticket at Subiaco Oval in the prelim.

That wider area is now the home of Bob Hawke College, and staff there today who bleed purple gathered to show their support for the Dockers sitting among the old bench seats on the northern side of the oval that remains.