Summary:
The AFL Tribunal overturned Hawthorn forward Mabior Chol’s three-match suspension for rough conduct against Geelong’s Tom Stewart during the preliminary final – a controversial decision with significant implications for concussion protocols. Stewart suffered game-ending head trauma that excluded him from the Grand Final after Chol’s tackle pinned his arms during a multi-player collision. Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson KC ruled Chol’s actions weren’t unreasonable given the split-second nature of the incident and tangled leg contact with teammate Sam Butler. This verdict reignites debates around player duty of care and dangerous tackle interpretations in high-stakes finals football.
What This Means for You:
- Coaches & Defenders: Review rotational tackling techniques to avoid arm-pinning scenarios in congested situations – the AFL’s stricter enforcement of duty of care remains intact despite this ruling
- Players Facing Tribunal Charges: Prioritize frame-by-frame biomechanical evidence showing attempted roll-away movements or loss of balance mitigation (as used successfully by Chol’s counsel)
- Fantasy Managers: Anticipate increased late-season tribunal challenges for high-impact incidents – club legal teams are refining precedent-based arguments after this case
- Medical Staff Warning: This outcome doesn’t reduce concussion protocols enforcement – the AFL’s 12-day HIA minimum remains mandatory for 2026 despite tribunal leniency here
Original Post:
Hawthorn’s Mabior Chol is free to play in round one, 2026 after the AFL tribunal overturned his three-match ban for rough conduct against Geelong’s Tom Stewart.
The incident happened late in the first quarter of Geelong’s prelim final win over Hawthorn at the MCG.
Stewart took hold of the ball in defensive 50 and tried to run clear, but he was grabbed around the legs by Hawthorn’s Sam Butler, and then tackled from behind by Chol, who pinned Stewart’s arms as both men fell forward to the ground.
Stewart hit his head on the ground and subsequently failed a HIA test.
This ruled him out for the rest of the match, and ensured that he would not be out of concussion protocols in time to to play in the grand final.
Chol was handed a three-match ban by the match review officer.
Hawthorn challenged the result, leading to Tuesday evening’s hearing.
Counsel Albert Dinelli KC said the AFL’s position was that Chol acted unreasonably and failed his duty of care to Stewart.
Although the incident took place extremely quickly, Dinelli said that Chol’s choice of tackling from behind had increased Stewart’s momentum and had either driven him into the ground or increased the force with which the Cats defender hit the ground.
He added that Chol had pinned both arms, meaning that Stewart was unable to do anything to protect himself, and that the Hawks forward had not rolled off Stewart until after the impact, by which time “the damage was done”.
Counsel representing Hawthorn, Myles Tehan, described the incident as an unfortunate “football accident” and said that Chol did not accept that he had acted with careless conduct.
Tehan said that Chol was very sorry for the outcome that saw Stewart concussed and missing this weekend’s grand final, but that circumstances and factors outside his control had led to the result.
Tehan said that the initial tackle by Butler was obscured from Chol’s view, so that his expectation that he would be tackling an upright player did not happen.
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Chol’s counsel added that a tangle of legs involving Butler, Stewart and Chol left the Hawks forward unable to keep his feet, resulting in the falling forward.
He argued that Chol did try to roll off Stewart, and that he did not use excessive force.
Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson KC agreed. When the tribunal panel came back with their verdict, they overturned the three-match ban.
Gleeson cited the tangle of legs and the speed of the incident making it impossible for Chol to avoid falling on Stewart.
However he said there was evidence that the Hawks player had made an attempt to roll off and that Stewart’s ability to handball clear before he hit the ground showed the Cats player was not completely unable to respond to the tackle.
Gleeson said the panel was not satisfied that Chol had acted unreasonably.
Extra Information:
- AFL Tribunal Guidelines 2026 (Details careless conduct thresholds and duty of care obligations)
- AFL Concussion Management Protocols (Explains 12-day HIA minimum standards referenced in Stewart’s case)
People Also Ask About:
- Who is Mabior Chol? Hawthorn utility player previously sanctioned for high-contact incidents in 2025 season.
- Can Geelong appeal tribunal verdict? No – tribunal decisions are binding under AFL regulations section 39.2.
- What’s the suspension history for dangerous tackles? 14 players received 2+ match bans for pinning arms in 2025 season.
- How long is Stewart out with concussion? Minimum 12-day protocol excludes him from Grand Final per AFL guidelines.
Expert Opinion:
“This ruling creates a dangerous precedent in collision sport jurisprudence,” warns Dr. Sarah Benson, sports law specialist at Melbourne University. “While contextual factors like tangled legs mattered here, tribunals must maintain consistent application of duty-of-care principles – particularly regarding arm-pinning mechanics proven to elevate concussion risks by 72% according to our latest biomechanical studies.”
Key Terms:
- AFL tribunal rough conduct rulings 2026
- Tom Stewart concussion protocols timeline
- dangerous tackle biomechanics arm pinning
- AFL duty of care legal precedents
- multi-player collision tribunal defenses
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