‘Really bad look’: Lachie Neale’s questionable umpire act

Lachie Neale may find himself in hot water after the reigning Brownlow Medallist got a little to close for comfort to an AFL umpire.

Lachie Neale may be in hot water.

Reigning Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale may have questions to answer after appearing to touch an umpire during Saturday night’s win over Carlton.

Brisbane beat the Blues 15.13 (103) to 12.13 (85) and Neale complained to umpire Matthew Nicholls about not receiving a free kick when he was pinned in a Patrick Cripps tackle, before his head collided with Eddie Betts’ knee, giving him a bloody cut.

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Players are not allowed to make any contact with an umpire but after the 2018 season, the AFL tweaked things slightly to differentiate between “aggressive, forceful, demonstrative or disrespectful” contact with an umpire, compared with “unreasonable or unnecessary” contact.

The former would place Neale in danger of being rubbed out for a week, but the latter offence would only see him fined, if the Lions midfielder entered an early guilty plea.

AFL legend Jason Dunstall doesn’t think Neale will cop any suspension given the contact was minor.

“He actually touched the umpire’s arm, which we know players aren’t allowed to do,” Dunstall said at halftime of Fox Footy’s coverage.

“He was letting him know because he wanted a free kick for high contact … surely he’s not going to get a week for touching the umpire?

“What if he proves exceptional circumstances in that he’s worried about the safety of the other players? He’s got free-flowing blood and he needs them to stop the game so he can go off.”

St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt added: “The reason that might be offered is, ‘Hey, I’m just letting him know so he can stop the game because we’ve got a blood rule’.”

Footy writer Ronny Lerner tweeted: “Neale should be cited for interfering with an umpire. Zero excuses to be touching an umpire like that. Really bad look.”

After the game, Neale told Fox Footy he didn’t realise he’d touched the umpire but wanted to let the official know about the blood streaming from above his eye before throwing the ball up so he could “get off the ground”.

Will he have a case to answer?

In a physical affair, the Lions were able to wrestle control after a slow start, booting 7.6 to 2.2 in the second-term and keeping the Blues at an arm’s length for the remainder of the game.

Hugh McCluggage (33 disposals) was superb in the middle as Charlie Cameron and Eric Hipwood made the most of his delivery booting three each.

The Lions will lick their wounds as they lost Darcy Gardiner (concussion) while Lachie Neale (head, ankle), Dan McStay (head) and Mitch Robinson (eye) battled on with respective niggles.

Carlton’s brand of attacking football broke open the Lions defence but ultimately turnovers plagued them in key moments – an all-too familiar hallmark of their 2021 season to date.

Harry McKay won the battle against Harris Andrews kicking 6.2 while Sam Walsh (33 disposals, nine marks) and Ed Curnow (29 disposals) were among the Blues best in the middle.

With Nick D’Urbano, NCA Newswire