Mabior Chol’s ban for tackle that ruled Tom Stewart out of Grand Final overturned
Mabior Chol has his teammate to thank after his three week ban for the contentious tackle that left Geelong’s Tom Stewart out of the grand final was overturned.
Forward Mabior Chol is free to play in Hawthorn’s 2026 season opener and can thank teammate Sam Butler for squashing a three-game suspension.
Chol was initially handed the ban for rough conduct for coming in on Butler’s tackle on Geelong star Tom Stewart during last week’s preliminary final.
Chol rode Stewart into the turf, concussing the Cats vice-captain and ruling him out of Saturday’s grand final, due to concussion protocols.
But the Hawks were able to argue him out of the charge on Tuesday night, convincing the tribunal to sweep aside the ban.
Butler was first to grab Stewart, and tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson said the Cats defender was already on his way to ground when Chol pinned his arms.
And Butler’s involvement meant Chol couldn’t steady and protect Stewart from hitting his head.
“By the time Chol commenced his tackle, it was inevitable that Stewart was going to ground,” Gleeson said.
“Butler’s tackle impacted Chol directly, sweeping Chol’s feet to the right, and prevented him from making impact with the ground.
“It suddenly changed the nature of the tackle from being one affected from Stewart’s side to one falling in Stewart’s back.”
Chol did not give evidence in the hearing and it was not aired if he had contacted Stewart this week, as the Cat deals with the heartbreak of being ruled out of the season decider.
Stewart speaks out after Chol slapped with big tackle ban
- Jon Ralph
Hawthorn’s Mabior Chol will miss the first three weeks of the 2026 season for the contentious tackle that put Tom Stewart out of next week’s Grand Final.
Chol will have to appeal his case at the tribunal this week to be available for the early rounds of the year after he was found responsible for Stewart’s concussion.
Chol’s tackle on Stewart came with the Hawthorn forward pinning both of Stewart’s arms in a contest that initially saw fears over the five time All Australian’s wrist.
But it quickly became clear that he was concussed, with Stewart to be the first men’s player to miss a grand final since the AFL brought in a mandatory minimum 12-day concussion protocol in January 2021.
Adelaide’s Chelsea Randall missed the AFLW grand final loss after a concussion that saw Nick Riewoldt saying he would go to the Supreme Court to apply for an injunction if he was in her place with a borderline concussion.
But the Cats will accept Stewart’s fate and consider whether ruckman Rhys Stanley to allow Mark Blicavs to move into defence or small defender Jed Bews replaces Stewart.
Stewart posted on social media on Saturday about his heartbreak at missing the Grand Final but in typical form backed his Cats to thrive without him.
“Obviously shattered about what happened last night but so grateful and overwhelmed with all of the love and support I have received by so many. Couldn’t be more proud of this group and to be a part of this amazing story is something that I truly cherish. How bout them Cats! LFG.”
Both Brisbane and Collingwood have a dangerous fleet of small forwards with Blicavs again excellent as the first ruck on Friday against Hawthorn.
Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan was handed a $10,000 fine ($6250 with a guilty plea) for a third tripping offence on Geelong’s Jack Bowes.
Under the same dangerous tackle guidelines that saw Paul Curtis suspended for three weeks for his tackle on Port Adelaide’s Josh Sinn, Chol’s failure to release even one arm was the reason for his ban.
Chol would believe that Stewart tipped forward in part because his teammate Sam Butler was also tackling the Cats defender around the legs or thighs.
But the AFL guidelines around dangerous tackles state a player is in danger if he pins both arms in a tackle that concusses an opponent.
MRO boss Michael Christian assessed Chol used excessive force and Stewart was in a vulnerable position.
Chol did not try to minimise the force of the tackle and did not try to roll Stewart, as challenging as that might have been in a driving tackle.
Stewart’s head also drove forcefully into the ground, with a severe impact assessment leaving Chol in danger of a three plus week ban.
Christian had the option of handing Chol a three week ban he could accept or sending the case to the tribunal for a likely four week suspension.
But given Curtis was offered a three week ban, Chol was also offered a three week ban that he can contest at the tribunal.
The Hawks will lick their wounds but would be shattered to lose Chol for the first weeks of a season where they will be desperate to go one step better after a semi final berth then a preliminary finals berth.
Geelong coach Chris Scott said post-match he was still in favour of a pre-grand final bye rather than a pre-finals bye after the 2016 introduction of the bye after round to ensure clubs did not rest players en masse.
“The Stewart one’s a bit hard to take right at the moment,” he said.
“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.”
In good news for the Hawks they are optimistic that Ned Reeves will re-sign with the club past his 2026 contract despite Lloyd Meek establishing himself as the No.1 ruckman.
Hawthorn believes if the AFL brings in a ruck rule which does not allow ruckmen to cross the centre line to grapple and wrestle it might be able to play Reeves alongside Reeves.
A fifth member of the interchange bench instead of a sub that will be considered by the AFL Commission on Monday would also aid his chances of playing more football.
Finn Maginness will be ready for contact drills after summer as he recovers from a lacerated kidney suffered in July.
He has been running for some weeks but joined in a kicking drill this week.
The Hawks are still hopeful Will Day will make a full recovery from his latest navicular concern but he will be closely assessed over summer as they attempt to recruit Zach Merrett.
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Originally published as Mabior Chol’s ban for tackle that ruled Tom Stewart out of Grand Final overturned
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