ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #276
Nifty Neale racks up footy for fun
Lachie Neale amasses 40 possessions and snares a goal in a polished performance to round out the home and away season
-
LIVE: Geelong v Brisbane Lions - 7:30PM Sat
Squiggle tips Cats at 54% chance -- What's your tip? -- Teams on Thurs »
-
AFLW 2024 - Round 4 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Senior Lachie Neale (2018-) (Co-Captain)
- Thread starter dlanod
- Start date
- Tagged users None
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #277
Lions pair earn All-Australian blazers
Brisbane Lions duo Dayne Zorko and Lachie Neale have been rewarded for outstanding seasons by being selected in the 2024 All-Australian team.
The pair were presented with their blazers at the AFL Awards in Melbourne on Thursday night.
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #278
Neale unfazed by potential tag as Lions seek finals redemption
WHETHER it's George Hewett or Alex Cincotta paying him attention, Lachie Neale is ready for anything Carlton throws at him in Saturday night's elimination final at the Gabba.
Neale has put together another exceptional campaign, named in his fourth All-Australian team last week and right in the hunt for a third Brownlow Medal.
With opposing skipper Patrick Cripps in career-best form, gaining ascendency in the middle of the ground again looms as critical to success, and Neale says he's prepared for anything.
"The last couple of times it's been Hewett and (Adam) Cerra doing a bit of a role at stoppage, but not a full tag," Neale said on Tuesday morning.
"But then this year since we last played them, Cincotta has done some really good roles.
"He might go to someone like 'Zorks' [Dayne Zorko] or he might play on a dangerous small forward. Who knows?"
That "last time" Neale speaks of was Opening Round when Carlton overturned a 46-point deficit to walk away with four premiership points following a late Harry McKay goal.
Both teams have players returning from injury for the weekend, with Jack Payne and Bruce Reville training on Tuesday after returning through the VFL and the Blues contemplating as many as eight changes.
Neale said Brisbane was not worried by the uncertainty around its opponents.
"Some of them have only missed a week or two and have played a lot of footy this year, so they're probably feeling a little like me, rejuvenated and ready to go," he said.
"They'll be coming over here looking to ambush us on Saturday night.
"We can't really think too much about their injuries, we've just got to prepare for their best.
"They're a great team and we'll prepare for that."
Neale said Brisbane entered the finals with a lot of confidence, despite some late-season stumbles, believing its experience from five previous campaigns in September held it in good stead.
"Finals are built on moments," he said.
"We've stuffed up a lot of big moments. We've been through a range of experiences, not only in finals, but even this year, we've had to win in so many different ways.
"We feel we're well equipped for any situation a game throws at us.
"We don't have to do anything special, we know that simple brilliance gets it done in finals and when we stray away from that we lose our way a little bit.
"There's been some great lessons for us for six years now and I think this year in particular we've learnt so much from all sorts of games that have been thrown at us.
"We don't expect it to be an easy ride, but we feel like if we play our best footy we're every chance of winning it (premiership)."
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #279
Neale: “Feeling rejuvenated and ready to go”
Lachie Neale is feeling grateful for the Finals Week bye and says he is ready to rip in against Carlton this weekend in the Elimination Final. The Lions must win to continue their season.
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #280
A legend declared Neale’s evolution is not done. Does a third Brownlow beckon?
Luke Hodge joined the Lions just as Lachie Neale was ascending to become one of the AFL’s best.
But Hawthorn legend Hodge, a three-time premiership-winning captain, believes the Brisbane co-captain still has another gear to reach in his side’s quest to end a two-decade title drought.
Two best and fairest medals already hang on Neale’s mantle, but statistically the 31-year-old has evolved his game again, rescuing his side from a horror start to 2024.
He is on track to register the most inside 50s and goals of his career, and has nearly doubled his best season of goal assists as he pushed forward more frequently.
It has made Brisbane the competition’s most lethal inside-50 team, their wayward goalkicking denying them a spot in the top four.
Neale said what transpired in 2024 came from an internal focus: honing his own role, and trusting the men around him would do the same.
“The biggest thing I’ve probably learned is not to change ... but I didn’t start that well,” he said.
“In 2023, my own form sort of dipped away a fair bit there, and I was trying to worry about what the team was doing, and worry about every other person’s job.
“I went away from what I’m really good at. Making sure you spend a lot of time focusing on getting your part right was probably the biggest lesson I learned, and others follow that.
“I just feel like my game’s in good order, so I’m reading the game a little bit better than I was in the first half of the year, and getting into better and more dangerous spots.”
Across the board, Neale has remained consistent. But after 12 years, he has found ways to transform his output in other areas, and has Hodge convinced he is not yet the finished product.
And Hodge declared even if the Greater Western Sydney Giants heavily tagged the midfielder in Saturday’s semi-final, he would only make others more dangerous.
“One thing with Lachie is nothing surprises you,” Hodge said, on the Brisbane leg of the AFL Premiership Cup Tour.
“How he works on his game, what he does on the footy field is not luck, it’s all the work that he does behind the scenes that lets him perform like that on game day.”
“He’s getting better, it’s surprising the fact he’s a dual-Brownlow medallist, but the football he played between rounds 10 and 20 this year were as good as he’s played in his career.
“One thing he’s added to his game is the selfless mindset stuff. When you’re a young A-grade on-baller you want to go and get the footy as much as you possibly can.
“What Lachie has added is if he’s getting a tag, he’s happy to go make a 2-v-1, he’s happy to go play a selfless role of football, so his midfielders can get the ball as well.
“He’s picked up on his agility, his sidestep, and rather than getting the ball in handball, he’s able to use his legs and break from a contest and hit a kick. It does make him almost the all-round complete player.”
Brisbane had been reeling with a 2-5 record, their hopes of avenging last year’s grand final defeat evaporating.
From rounds 10 to 22, Neale took the revival personally – averaging 28.46 disposals, 4.32 inside 50s and 7.62 clearances a game, and his side would suffer just one defeat in that time.
As for whether he feels he has done enough to claim a third Brownlow medal: “Two’s enough I reckon,” Neale said, laughing.
“I think Patty [Cripps] and [Nick] Daicos will be hard to catch.”
