Does Pendlebury deserve a ban for open-hand strike on Neale?

Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury is set to come under MRO scrutiny for his open-hand strike on Brisbane star Lachie Neale in Thursday night’s win at the Gabba.

The incident occurred late in the third term with both players manned up on each other at the stoppage with Pendlebury hitting Neale in the stomach with his hand.

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Neale immediately fell to the ground after the blow and was awarded a free kick.

While Pendlebury apologised post-match and told Channel Seven that he didn’t mean to hit his opponent where he got him, the 387-gamer also said that he’ll take whatever punishment comes his way.

SEN’s Sam Edmund believes that Pendlebury can’t be banned and will instead receive a fine after a similar incident occurred just weeks ago with Carlton’s George Hewett and Neale who struck each other at a stoppage.

“It was almost like a karate chop, an open hand whack to the guts of Lachie Neale,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.

“He can't be suspended, can he? It has to be a fine.

“That is George Hewett and Lachie Neale from Opening Round at the same ground. This is where the AFL gets itself into a little bit of a bother.

“They had the chance (to stamp out this kind of act with a suspension). I know they’re different, but they had the chance to suspend George Hewett and they totally botched it.

“They didn't suspend Lachie Neale in that interaction with George Hewett for retaliation strike either.

“Scott Pendlebury can't go. Both incidents are while waiting at a stoppage. They decided not to assess George Hewitt's punch to the face of Lachie Neale as intentional.

“They said, ‘No that's careless because it's around the ball, they’re waiting for a stoppage’.

“So straight away Scotty Pendlebury’s can't be intentional, can it for all intents and purposes? They're waiting for a stoppage. Straight away it's careless.”

As well as the AFL already setting a precedent, Edmund is certain it’ll be a fine even if the AFL grades the strike as intentional given it was low impact and a body blow.

“It's going to be low impact and it's to the body,” Edmund said.

“So it's a fine and even if they did decide to be inconsistent, which we know they can be … it’s low impact and it's to the body.

“So that's a fine as well under the matrix.

“I can't see how he gets suspended.”

The Magpies next play Hawthorn in Adelaide during Gather Round.

Pendlebury has never once been banned across his 387-game AFL career.