Geelong Cats forward Gary Rohan in hot water for ‘stupid’ move

Geelong Cats forward Gary Rohan is under fire after clobbering Brisbane Lions midfielder Lachie Neale in Friday evening’s clash.

Lachie Neale and Gary Rohan.

Geelong Cats forward Gary Rohan will be sweating on the match review officer’s verdict after clobbering Brisbane Lions midfielder Lachie Neale at GMHBA Stadium.

During the first quarter of Friday evening’s round two clash, the pair were jostling off the ball before Rohan lost his temper.

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The 29-year-old viciously swung his right arm into the side of Neale’s neck, with the reigning Brownlow Medallist falling to the turf.

Neale returned to his feet and rubbed his jaw before putting up three fingers, presumably to let Rohan know he’ll be spending three weeks on the sidelines.

“That was well and truly off the ball, wasn’t it?” reporters Abbey Holmes said on Channel 7.

“Lachie Neale not very happy with that.”

Lachie Neale a Quentin Tarantino fan #AFLCatsLionspic.twitter.com/XyQnbkJZe5

— Andrew McCormack (@_AMcCormack7) March 26, 2021

Gary Rohan is gooooonnnneeee. #afl

— Anthony Stewart (@anthonystewart) March 26, 2021

Three weeks for Gary Rohan, according to match review officer Lachie Neale. #AFLCatsLions

— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) March 26, 2021

Soon after the incident, Rohan retired to the change rooms for a concussion test after being involved in a separate collision.

“(Rohan’s) lucky it wasn’t about three inches higher, because he would have broken his jaw and he’d be out for about half a season through suspension, I reckon,” Lions great Jonathan Brown said on Fox Footy.

“He should still get suspended for that, I think. That was undisciplined; that was just stupid.

“That’s a fair hit though — he’s clearly got him up around the neck.”

Footy reporter Jon Ralph said if the incident is branded as a high incident and medium impact by the MRO, Rohan will cop a two-week suspension.

“The smoking gun as you said there is Lachie Neale’s reaction, he cannot take that back now because he could get done for staging,” Ralph added.

“All these staging reports are basically about what happens when you try to get a player reported when he doesn’t deserve it so if we are to suggest it is a high incident and that’s the game changer.

“A low-impact, high hit is one week, a medium-impact, high hit is two weeks so Michael Christian will assess the look of it, potentially even the medical report.

“He doesn’t tend to call the player who is the victim there but you’ve got to say the player code in football is officially dead.”

Gary Rohan of the Cats.

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MRO Michael Christian has a busy weekend ahead of them, with spot fires igniting throughout the spirited opening term in Geelong.

Cats veteran Joel Selwood put a dangerous tackle on Lions oppoennt Tom Berry after the umpire had blown the whistle for a free kick.

At quarter-time, Geelong coach Chris Scott was held back by his own players as he barked towards Lions players in their team huddle.

Geelong ultimately secured a thrilling 12.9 (81) to 11.14 (80) victory, albeit in controversial circumstances.

Originally published as Geelong Cats forward Gary Rohan in hot water for ‘stupid’ move