LACHIE Neale is free to play in Saturday's Grand Final after his one-match ban for striking was sensationally overturned at the AFL Appeal Board on Thursday night.

Neale buried his head in his hands for several moments when the verdict was read out and said "thank you, Mr Chairman" as the meeting ended.

>> READ THE FULL REASONS BELOW

He will instead be fined $10,000 for his actions.

The Appeal Board cited Neale's "exemplary" record of having never previously been suspended in 320 games in the reason for its decision, freeing Neale to play on Saturday under the provision of "exceptional and compelling circumstances".

"We find that the Tribunal did err in having regard to whether the conduct was intentional," Appeal Board chair Richard Loveridge explained in his reasoning.

"The relevant inquiry was whether, despite the charge having been established, there was exceptional and compelling circumstances.

"In this case, that was Neale's record.

"We find that Neale's record is exemplary, and that he should be afforded the benefit of the provision."

The dual Brownlow Medal winner will feature in the premiership decider against Fremantle - his former club - at the MCG on Saturday after having a striking charge on Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan downgraded.

He initially failed in challenging the one-game ban from the Match Review Officer at the Tribunal on Tuesday night.

To succeed on appeal, Brisbane had to prove the Tribunal finding was either an error of law, an unreasonable decision, a manifestly excessive classification, or a manifestly excessive sanction.

The Lions were able to sway the Appeal Board that the Tribunal had made an error of law in not considering the exceptional and compelling circumstances of Neale not having previously been suspended.

Brisbane legal representative Adrian Anderson tried various different arguments to clear Neale.

One included suggesting the ban should be served in round one next year, instead of in the Grand Final, due to the added importance of the match.

It was a bold strategy given Neale is almost certain to leave Brisbane and join Collingwood during the off-season.

Anderson leaned heavily on Neale's prior record of not being suspended, referring to the four-time All Australian as "pretty close to a unicorn".

The "exceptional and compelling circumstances" clause had been deployed once already this year, to downgrade a one-game ban to Collingwood legend and AFL games record-holder Scott Pendlebury to a fine.

New vision of Neale's strike on Ginnivan became available on Thursday, but was not allowed to be used because it was not shown at Tuesday's Tribunal hearing.

The footage would have shown a clearer picture of the incident and likely not helped Neale's case.

Neale avoids becoming the first player to miss an AFL grand final following a preliminary-final suspension since Collingwood’s Anthony Rocca in 2003.

Sydney's Barry Hall (2005) and Richmond's Trent Cotchin (2017) famously escaped bans for incidents in their respective preliminary finals to play in eventual premiership wins.

The Lions named Neale in their team on Thursday, shortly before the decision was handed down.

With rain expected for Saturday's Grand Final, Neale will figure prominently as one of the Lions' best wet-weather players.

- with AAP

Appeal Board's reasoning

In regard to whether 'exceptional and compelling circumstances' provision can apply to Neale's benefit.

We find that the Tribunal did err in having regard to whether the conduct was intentional.

We accept the position of Neale in his written submissions that the intentional aspect was an element of the charge which had already been established.

The relevant inquiry was whether, despite the charge having been established, there was exceptional and compelling circumstances.

In this case, that was Neale's record.

We find that Neale's record is exemplary, and that he should be afforded the benefit of the provision.

In conclusion, we allow the appeal.

We order that Neale instead be fined $10,000.