Lachie Neale tribunal hearing: Live coverage as Lions star looks to be freed to face Fremantle in grand final

“While it does look like at first look it is a punch to the guts but on careful rewatch it is not and that the primary impact is from Lachie Neale’s shoulder or chest,” he says.

“The force from the arm is insufficient to register or, at the very least, is negligible.

“I challenge you to find one frame where Neale’s arm is buried in Ginnivan’s abdomen.”

“It’s clear from the vision that this is a strike, not a bump or body check,” Mr Woods says.

“Mr Neale’s arm moves in a manner that is consistent with a strike.

“If the immediate outcome of an act is obvious, then that act is deemed as intentional.

“The fact an act of striking occured off the play or off the ball is usually consitent with a strike being intentional.”

“It’s a forceful arm that swings straight into his opponent.

“This is a potential to cause injury by a strike of this kind.

“It also risks missing the target and hitting the face. It’s the potential (for injury) not the result.”

“All of them I’ve been hit in the stomach or the jaw during retaliatory strikes,” he says.

He replies yes when asked if he is commonly tagged.

“I can’t remember if I challenged them but I don’t think so because they were all fines.”

You agree the ball was not anywhere near you at the time?

“No, the ball was not in the area,” Neale replies.

You accept you didn’t slow down as you got to him?

“No, I didn’t slow down, but I don’t think we’re going at any great speed either.”

Having watched that vision, do you stand by the claim you wrapped your arm around him?

“I don’t really want to body check and bump, and it was not my intention to strike him.”

“I think he looks over and sees me one or two steps before he makes contact.

“I accept he does go to ground after contact.”

Mr Woods asks if Neale is aware of the rules over striking.

“I’m aware of those rules, but I didn’t want to go into that incident wanting to strike him,” he said.

“In that very moment, I’m just thinking about the game, not what final I’m in.

“I don’t think I’ve ever thought about the consequences of a report in a game of football that is not front of mind.”

“My body force and right arm would have pushed his forward, my forearm is close to his chest and it’s wrapped up by his left arm so he’s holding my arm in that place,” Neale continues.

“I spoke to Jack this morning via phone call and he said it felt more like a body check or bump then a strike.”

“The force of my body contacting him made him go to ground.”

“In my head I’ve seen what has happened and in my mind I’ve decided I’m going to bump/body check Jack and let him know I didn’t like what had happened,” Neale explains.

“I could tell he could see I was about to make impact so I think he’s expecting me to bump into him.

“You can see his left arm lifts up and he’s protecting his body and my arm wraps around as my body makes contacts with him

“My chest into his shoulder or shoulder into his shoulder is the first contact.

“It felt like his arm was wrapping my arm up at the same time, my body definitely made contact first.

“I would run past him a little bit further than that and make a clenched fist (if my intention was to punch him).”

Neale says his fist was not clenched.

“My left arm is wrapped around his and my left arm his on his right arm.

“I was very close to the incident between Eric Hipwood and Jack where it looked like Jack had given him a couple of jumper punches.

“I didn’t think that looked great, so I ran past Jack to show his disappointment to body check him.

“It felt like I hit him with my shoulder first then my arm came across, I felt he stopped and braced his left shoulder and his left arm raised for impact from me.

“I indicated Jack might have taken a bit of a dive to get a free kick, he had a bit of a smile on his face but he didn’t say anything.”

He is arguing the point over exceptional and compelling circumstances as expected.

“My first senior state league competion game was 2011 with Glenelg, I think I played seven senior games with them in 2011; that was the year I was drafted,” he says.

“Drafted to Fremantle, where I played seven seasons, I received two best and fairest, one runner-up, and I think I made three All-Australian squads.

“I played several league games for Swan Districts during that time, I was traded at the end of 2018 so 2019 was my first season there.

“I’ve received four best and fairest with the Lions, three All Australians and two Brownlow medals.

He responds no when asked whether he has ever been suspended across his state league, Fremantle and Brisbane career.

Andrew Woods KC from the AFL outlines the Hawks’ medical report that Ginnivan was assessed but did not have to leave the field nor would he miss any matches (should Hawthorn have progressed).

Lions representative Adrian Anderson outlines the points they’ll try to make.

“We argue that it is not a strike, and if it is, that it is low impact rather than medium and if the Tribunal rules against us on that, that there are exceptional and compelling circumstances.”

The AFL says it will not support or go against the exceptional circumstances and will leave that to the tribunal.