Hawthorn’s Mabior Chol will start next season without suspension after the AFL tribunal dismissed a rough-conduct charge over his preliminary-final tackle on Geelong’s Tom Stewart, a verdict that landed in the same news cycle as league headquarters promised another Brownlow voting review. The panel chaired by Jeff Gleeson KC found Chol had not acted unreasonably once teammate Sam Butler’s contest tangled Stewart’s legs, clearing a three-match ban graded careless, high contact and severe impact.
What the tribunal accepted
Counsel for the Hawks argued the incident was a “football accident” rather than a driving tackle like the Paul Curtis precedent the match review office cited. Gleeson said Butler’s tackle meant Stewart was already heading to ground when Chol engaged, and noted Stewart handballed while held—evidence his arms were not absolutely pinned. Chol did not give evidence; the club relied on vision and biomechanics experts. Stewart missed the grand final under concussion protocols, but the tribunal separated medical outcome from conduct grading.
Brownlow review widens in parallel
Monday night’s count had already fuelled debate when St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera polled two votes against Melbourne after a match-winning performance, while Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell took the medal amid games where he collected no coaches votes. AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon told Fox Footy the league would revisit whether field umpires should access statistics before casting 3-2-1 votes, a tool removed years ago after a betting scandal. Football boss Greg Swann said a mechanism could return next season, while long-time umpire Simon Meredith backed optional stat sheets as an aid, not a crutch.
Eligibility loopholes stay on the table
Adelaide’s Izak Rankine remained eligible despite a four-match ban for a homophobic slur because the integrity unit charged conduct unbecoming under Rule 2.3(a), not a reportable offence under Rule 21.2(c). Fans noticed the absence of the broadcast’s ineligibility marker; club statements assumed suspension meant automatic disqualification. Chol’s clearance shows the opposite path—tribunal wins restore availability even when injuries linger for opponents.
What supporters should expect
Hawthorn confirmed Chol is listed for 2026 without carry-over weeks. The AFL commission will decide voting tweaks at its October meeting; do not expect Brownlow night to move off umpires entirely. For households arguing about the count, the actionable split is procedural: tribunal outcomes govern suspensions, while a separate rule book decides who can win the medal. Both are under review, but only one kept Chol on the park.
Geelong has not reopened Stewart’s medical file publicly; the club said it accepted the tribunal’s separation of on-field grading from concussion management. Player agents told InfoHandle clients will watch whether the league tightens duty-of-care language before 2026 without reintroducing automatic bans for head-high contact that panels deem accidental. For now, Chol’s clearance is the precedent Hawthorn wanted when it appealed within hours of the preliminary final siren.
