Geelong coach Chris Scott says he is comfortable with Gary Rohan's off-the-ball strike on Lachie Neale that left Brisbane's AFL star fuming.
The incident is sure to attract attention from match review officers after Neale was put down during the first quarter of Friday night's game at GMHBA Stadium.
After getting back on his feet, Neale fired back at the Cats forward by holding up three fingers in a taunt of how many weeks the reigning Brownlow medallist believes Rohan will be suspended for.
But Scott claims Neale instigated the altercation, which ultimately led to the Cats' mentor engaging in a heated war of words with Lions players, including Joe Daniher and Harris Andrews, at quarter-time.
"I thought Neale struck Gary on the chest and then Gary struck him on the chest," Scott said.
"I'm certainly not saying he (Neale) did the wrong thing. I had a pretty good look at what Gary did and I'm comfortable with it."
Scott also claimed Neale was the one to speak first during the quarter-time break.
"I was walking onto the ground and Lachie said to me something I couldn't understand exactly, but something about Gary Rohan
"And I said I'm happy to have that conversation if you like, I've seen the vision and I'm comfortable with it. That's all that was said.
"They (Lions players) weren't paying me compliments."
Neale experienced one of the quietest games of his illustrious career by being limited to 16 touches, but was influential in the Lions' last-quarter charge.
