AFLW finals 2024: Brisbane midfielder Isabel Dawes to challenge suspension

The AFLW tribunal will sit on Wednesday morning to determine the finals fate of an important Brisbane midfielder.

Brisbane will challenge the one-match suspension handed to important midfielder Belle Dawes at an AFLW tribunal hearing on Wednesday morning.

The dual premiership on-baller could miss next week’s home preliminary final after a collision with Ainslie Kemp that left the Hawthorn defender dazed on the ground on Sunday.

Dawes was shaping to tackle before she pulled her arms back and made front-on contact to Kemp following a marking contest in the second quarter of the Lions’ qualifying final win at Ikon Park.

She appeared to make contact with Kemp’s chin, with the Hawk helped to her feet before she came from the ground unassisted and passed a HIA test to return to the game after halftime.

The incident was graded by the MRO as careless, low impact and high contact, triggering a one-week ban.

Brisbane midfielder Belle Dawes (right) is challenging her one-match suspension for a high bump on Hawthorn defender Ainslie Kemp. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

Brisbane’s tribunal lawyer was unavailable for a Tuesday night hearing, pushing the session back to Wednesday morning.

The reigning premiers will be trying to free Dawes for a preliminary final against the winner of Saturday’s semi-final between Adelaide and Fremantle.

The 23-year-old midfielder has played 62 consecutive games since the Lions’ 2020 semi-final loss and was crucial in last year’s finals campaign, gathering 20 disposals (18 contested) and laying 13 tackles in the grand final victory.

Dawes was the only player offered a ban out of a heated clash between the Hawks and Lions that spilt over into more physical jostling between the sides after the full-time siren.

Hawthorn star Emily Bates was fined $350 for a rough conduct charge against former teammate Cathy Svarc in the final term.

The only other sanction from the first week of the AFLW finals was a $250 fine for rough conduct against Kangaroos forward Vikki Wall.