AFL 2025: Hawthorn’s Mabior Chol has been handed a three match ban

Hawthorn forward Mabior Chol has been offered three weeks for his potentially premiership-obstructing tackle on Geelong star Tom Stewart.

Stewart was concussed and placed under the 12-day protocols as a result of Chol’s first quarter tackle on Friday night.

The tackle was graded as careless conduct, severe impact and high conduct.

If Hawthorn won the preliminary final, Chol would have also been ruled out of the premiership decider.

The incident has poured fuel on the pre-finals bye debate, with most believing it should be placed between the preliminary and grand final.

Geelong coach Chris Scott took aim at the pre-finals bye post-game, calling it’s placement an “overnight” decision.

“I understand it’s not optimal for the AFL to have masses of players rested for inconsequential games in the last home-and-away round of the year, but I just didn’t think that was a good enough reason,” Scott said.

“I feel that the clubs should have autonomy over this stuff, and it was in a period of time, too, where the AFL just couldn’t find another space for a bye during the year and then they found one overnight.”

Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan was also sanctioned, offered a $10,000 fine for tripping Cat Jack Bowes.