Hawthorn forward Mabior Chol will miss the first three games of the 2026 season after being suspended for a dangerous tackle that has forced Geelong star Tom Stewart out of the grand final.
Stewart suffered a concussion after his head hit the ground following a Chol tackle in the first quarter of Friday night's preliminary final.
Due to the AFL's 12-day concussion protocols, Stewart was immediately ruled out of next Saturday's grand final, denying him a chance to add to the premiership he won in 2022.
If Hawthorn had beaten the Cats, Chol would have been the hardluck story of grand final week.
The 28-year-old would have become the first player since West Coast's Andrew Gaff in 2018 to have missed a grand final through suspension.
Chol's teammate Jack Ginnivan escaped a ban, but was slapped with a potential $10,000 fine for tripping Geelong's Jack Bowes.
It was Ginnivan's third tripping offence, but his fine can be downgraded to $6250 if he accepts an early guilty plea.
