Senior Lachie Neale (2018-) (Co-Captain)

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Neale unfazed by potential tag as Lions seek finals redemption

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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."

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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)."
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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.
www.lions.com.au
 
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.

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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.”
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McIvor said:


Don't have access to article, anyone able to post it?
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Simon Black reveals how Chris Fagan won him over in Brisbane Lions job interview​

Simon Black has lifted the lid on how Chris Fagan won the job as Brisbane coach. And the Lions legend believes a current star will become one of the best to ever play for the proud club.

Chris Fagan had virtually won the job of Brisbane Lions head coach within the first 10 minutes of his interview as champion Lion Simon Black lifts the lid on the appointment of the premiership coach.
And the triple premiership winner Black believes onball star Lachie Neale will finish his career as “one of the greatest Brisbane Lions of all time”.
Black sat on the selection panel in late 2016 with Hawthorn premiership player Peter Schwab and psychologist Matti Clements, as the Lions looked for Justin Leppitsch’s replacement after a three-win season, the lowest tally since the club’s merger.

A renowned football manager at Hawthorn, Fagan told the panel he was a coach first and foremost and he won Black over immediately.
“I was very fortunate to be part of the coaching selection panel and when Fages walked in the door, I had never met him in my life but within 10 minutes of being in his presence it was almost to the point where I couldn’t care if he knew anything about football,” Black said.
“His manner, his disposition, his authenticity and his care for people, I thought this man is going to be out new coach.
“He hadn’t coached for 10 years but he was really adamant to us that he was a coach, that was his passion.
“Great organisations are full of great people and Fages is obviously at the top of that as are our board. He has done a great job to pull it all together.”

Fagan’s tactical nous was questioned persistently as the Lions fell short in September leading to Saturday’s grand final triumph.
But Black said that sometimes a simple mistake from a player could make or break a coach more than tactical mistakes.
The Lions bowed out of September three times in games that were decided be less than a goal – the 2019 semi-final, 2021 semi-final and 2023 grand final – before the flag win.

“For everybody who knocked him about his strategy, you could argue it came down to the players and their skill,” Black said.
“Above everything as a player you wanted to feel like you were supported and on the right path and you would feel that with Chris Fagan because he cares so much.”
The Fagan-led resurrection of the Lions from a club that Black said “fell off a cliff” following the three-peat at the start of the century was “just wonderful” to the 322-game Brisbane great.
“It was a really long 15 years to sort of work our way back,” he said.

A superstar midfielder and Norm Smith medallist in his own right, Black was blown away by Neale, who finished second to youngster Will Ashcroft for best-on-ground honours on Saturday.
Traded in from Fremantle with pick 30 for picks six, 19 and 55 in 2018, Neale has won two Brownlow medals, four All-Australian selections, three Brisbane best-and-fairests and co-captained a premiership in 137 games.
“I have seen some great midfielders and Lachie is right up there,” he said.
“There is no doubt about that. His ability to be able to win the ball in tight and his cleanliness and creativity by hand is incredible.
“He will go down as one of the greatest Brisbane Lions of all time.”
 
Boiling point: Lion's plea to AFL over early-season games
BRISBANE co-captain Lachie Neale has encouraged the AFL to steer clear of early season midday starts in Queensland after enduring Sunday's "extreme" conditions against West Coast at the Gabba.

The 12.10pm start coincided with high heat and humidity that left players strewn across the field at three quarter-time and an inordinate number suffering from cramps, while players also wore ice vests during breaks.

The AFL's heat policy was enacted for the game, with longer quarter breaks and extra water carriers available.

Neale, speaking on Tuesday, "pulled up quite well" from the 19-point win, but suggested a change in fixturing would be better in the future.

"(It's) probably not great to put a game on at 12 o'clock in Queensland in March," he said.

"In a couple of months, that'd be fine. But early on in the season, I'd probably change the time for that game, even two or three hours later would have been better."

Neale described the humidity as extreme, particularly after early morning rain in Queensland's capital had subsided.

"It was hot and humid and I'm sure we'll have some sore boys and some guys that are a little lethargic early in the week," he said.
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ZoBlitz said:

Neale: “Got back to my usual self”

Watch the Press Conference with Lachie Neale as the Brisbane Lions prepare for round 3
www.lions.com.au
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An interesting first up question about the "Hollywood handballs". Brave (or stupid!) from the journo to ask that first up. But both handled it well I thought. The truth probably lay somewhere in between. Yes our skills were off but I did also detect some options taken (both on the day and watching the replay) which may have stayed in the kit bag against a more highly fancied opponent.
 

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Senior Lachie Neale (2018-) (Co-Captain)


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