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

“I’m not saying he should be treated differently because it’s a grand final,” he says.

“All I’m saying is the requirement of being comfortably satisfied should be taken into account given the punishment on the line and the vision.

“We submit the evidence submitted does not rise to the level to show this was a strike or that the impact was medium.”

The Tribunal chairman argues Neale’s strike (if it is deemed a strike) is exactly the action these rules were brought in to prevent.

“This is well off the ball, not in play,” Jeff Gleeson says.

“More tellingly, this is not a strike that happens in the course of a grapple or a scuffle.”

“We submit that this is not an intentional punch to the guts,” Anderson rebuts.

“This incident is distinguishable from those cases because Ginnivan has time to brace and the impact primarily comes from the body.

“I reiterate the way Ginnivan’s body moves is consistent with Neale’s claim that contact came from the body, not the arm.

“Ginnivan makes no attempt to keep his feet and accentuates the contact, and the medical report is clear he gets up straight away, which is another indication towards low impact.”

“If it is not negligible, it should be classified as low impact,” he says.

“You can see Jack’s left arm is blocking Neale’s arm, making contact with the torso; this is not in the examples we see in body punches that result in one week,” Mr Anderson says.

“We submit that Lachie Neale is 100 per cent correct when initial contact took place with his chest and shoulder.

The tribunal questions Mr Anderson over whether Ginnivan seems to double over, consistent with getting a punch in the guts.

“I say two things, one is that he has significant contact from Neale’s shoulder and chest to his back,” he says.

“The second point is that Neale is pushing him forward and that’s what’s causing (Ginnivan) to move in that way.

“The third is the diving motion he makes to accentuate contact to receive a free kick.

“Fourthly, there’s no suggestion he is winded, as is consistent with a blow to the abdomen.”

“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.