Geelong's Gary Rohan has accepted a two-week suspension for striking Brisbane star Lachie Neale during Friday night's thriller at GMHBA Stadium.
Rohan was seen behind play striking Neale across the shoulder and chest region, with the Brownlow Medallist rubbing his jaw after the hit during the Cats' one-point win.
Neale was also seen gesturing that Rohan would likely receive three weeks for the incident after getting up from the turf.
But the AFL's Match Review Panel chairman Michael Christian graded the incident as intentional conduct, medium impact and high contact, which equals a two-match ban.
Geelong had the option to contest the suspension given to Rohan at the AFL Tribunal this week, though it was confirmed on Monday they'd accepted the Match Review Panel's decision.
Lachie Neale and Gary Rohan were involved in an incident in the first quarter.#AFLCatsLions pic.twitter.com/8KY91byy30
— AFL (@AFL) March 26, 2021
After the match, Geelong coach Chris Scott said he believed Rohan didn't have a case to answer for the incident.
"I thought Neale struck Gary on the chest and then Gary struck him on the chest,” Scott said in his post-match press conference.
"[Neale started it]. The vision is clear.
"I’ve had a pretty good look at what Gary did and I’m comfortable with it."
During the quarter-time break, Scott was involved in a verbal altercation with the Brisbane Lions players over the Rohan-Neale incident, with the Cats coach admitting he had a conversation with Neale.
"I was walking onto the ground and Lachie Neale just said to me something like — I couldn’t understand exactly what he said — but something about Gary Rohan,” Scott said.
"And I said, ‘I’m happy to have the conversation with you if you like. I’ve seen the vision and I’m comfortable with it'.
"I suspect he didn’t hear all of that. That’s all that was said.
"I think a few of them, they weren’t paying me compliments. I didn’t say anything after that."
