Lachie Neale, co-captain of the Brisbane Lions and a dual Brownlow medallist, faces an incredible turnaround in his recovery from a calf injury. Neale has proven all the doubters wrong after being handed a season-ending prognosis of four to six weeks after his injury against Geelong three weeks ago. Now, his possible return is creating waves of optimism around the club. Just days before that premiership decider, Neale has done some pretty amazing work. He worked hard over the weekend and participated in every training session thereafter.
When Neale initially hurt himself, club doctors assessed his odds of returning to the field this year at nearly zero. In developing their rule, they estimated them conservatively, at only five percent. There’s no doubt in my mind that his determination and commitment to recovery shine through. Indeed, many have called his progress a miracle. Neale’s dedication was evident when he walked into a team meeting prior to training and candidly stated, “I’m not right,” prioritizing the team’s needs over his own aspirations.
Chris Fagan, head coach of the Brisbane Lions, has stated that he feels very confident about Neale’s preparedness to take the field. “No risk, wouldn’t play him if there was a risk,” Fagan stated regarding Neale’s potential inclusion in the starting lineup. He emphasized Neale’s rigorous training regimen, noting, “He trained heavily on the weekend, he’s done both sessions during the week so you’d be mad not to pick him.”
Neale’s story is maybe the most heartbreaking. He replaces Jarrod Berry, who will miss Saturday’s premiership decider after dislocating his shoulder last weekend. The Lions are certainly intent on strengthening their midfield and if Neale’s return to them was to give them the decisive edge then all the better.
And even after perhaps his most elating training run yet, Neale is still trying not to count his chickens before the game. He mentioned that he has yet to receive confirmation about whether he will be part of the starting lineup, stating, “I’m not going to talk about line-ups, they come out an hour before the game.”
Fagan relayed that Neale’s return has been cleared by medical staff. This unexpected news opened the door for a new wave of optimism surrounding his possible participation. “The medical people have ticked him off so that’s what we’re doing,” Fagan added.
The team is preparing for an important battle to come. Back during the captain’s run and team meeting on game day, all eyes were on Neale. His possible return would be a storybook win for the individual athlete. It serves as a rallying point for the Brisbane Lions as they seek to return to the summit of the AFL’s most coveted premiership decider.
