The clause that may save Lions ace for AFL grand final

Lachie Neale has won two flags with the Lions. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Robert Cianflone)

Brisbane star Lachie Neale is facing a one-match ban for striking Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan in last Saturday night's preliminary final.

The Lions are fighting the charge in a bid to allow Neale to play in Saturday's grand final. 

ABC Sport will have a live blog of the AFL grand final between Fremantle and Brisbane from the MCG on Saturday.

The AFL tribunal chairman was blunt: the "good bloke" clause does not exist.

Instead, tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson KC turned to a fresh provision in the AFL's laws, centred on compelling and exceptional circumstances.

It is the clause that could save Brisbane's Lachie Neale from being suspended for Saturday's grand final.

The Lions will challenge Neale's one-game suspension for striking Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan in last Saturday night's preliminary final.

Neale's gut punch on Ginnivan was graded intentional conduct, medium impact and body contact.

"There's no point putting energy into it until we know the result," Neale's teammate Jarrod Berry said today.

"We'll be sitting tight and praying that he gets off. But if he doesn't, we'll face it when it comes."

Precedents this season have resulted in one-game bans to numerous players. The most recent just last week, when Adelaide's Max Michalanney was suspended for delivering an off-the-ball gut punch.

But what may allow Neale, a dual Brownlow medallist to play in the premiership decider is the clause that saved Collingwood legend Scott Pendlebury from suspension in March.

"Exceptional and compelling circumstances" is certain to be the anchor of Brisbane's argument at Tuesday night's tribunal hearing.

The Lions will cite Pendlebury's hearing on March 17 this year.

The acts in the cases of Pendlebury and Neale are starkly different.

The Magpie great was charged with rough conduct for a bump on Adelaide's Josh Worrell.

His proposed one-match suspension was downgraded to a $3,000 fine with Gleeson enacting the "compelling and exceptional circumstances" clause.

Pendlebury's advocate Myles Tehan successfully argued the ex-Pies captain "stands in a class of his own", having never previously been before the tribunal in a 21-year AFL career.

"It's frankly difficult to imagine how it could not constitute an exceptional and compelling circumstance (to avoid a ban)," Tehan told the hearing.

"I should say this is not by any means a good bloke clause or a get of jail free card or anything of that nature."

Tribunal chair Gleeson then interjected.

"I might add, it never has been. It's misreported as being something to that effect from time to time," Gleeson said.

"But people who read the guidelines and listen to what the tribunal says will understand it's nothing to do with being a good bloke.

"It's to do with whether the circumstances are exceptional and compelling."

The relevant clause states: "Players will not automatically receive a reduced sanction for a good record. However, if a classifiable offence is contested or referred to the tribunal, a player with an exemplary record may argue that their good record constitutes exceptional and compelling circumstances".

Neale, a 320-gamer, is a dual Brownlow medallist; a dual premiership captain; a four-time All Australian; a four-time club champion who, like Pendlebury, has never been suspended.

His exemplary history gives the Lions cause to argue, and hope for a reprieve.

ABC Sport will have a live blog of the AFL grand final between Fremantle and Brisbane from the MCG on Saturday.