Lions would be ‘mad’ not to pick Neale in grand final
Oliver Caffrey |
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan is adamant there is no risk in playing Lachie Neale in the AFL grand final just three weeks after injuring his calf.
The dual Brownlow medallist will feature against Geelong at the MCG on Saturday – his fourth premiership decider after making an extraordinary recovery to be fit.
Neale’s season appeared over when he hurt himself in the qualifying final against Geelong on September 5.
But after spending two hours a day in a hyperbaric chamber, the Lions co-captain has been declared fit to face the Cats again.
“No risk. We wouldn’t play him if there was a risk,” Fagan said of Neale.
“If you watched him train you’d be mad not to pick him.”
Fagan pushed back when asked if Brisbane had a plan if Neale hurt himself again.
“If you did that you’d have a scenario about what you’d do if every single player got injured,” he added.
Fagan didn’t rule out Neale being used as the sub, although Bruce Reville has been excellent in that role throughout the finals series.
Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield guaranteed the Cats would test Neale out, but were “respectful” of his class.
“He hasn’t won two Brownlows, multiple All-Australians, best-and-fairests – the guy has done it all,” he said.
“He didn’t complete whole game (in the qualifying final), but still finished with mid-30s (possessions), so he’s an absolute star.
“We’re mindful of how good he can be, but it’s not just Lachie, it’s others as well.”
Neale comes in for selfless utility Jarrod Berry, who dislocated his shoulder in last week’s preliminary-final win over Collingwood.
It was the second time Berry had hurt his shoulder in five weeks, with the 27-year-old pulling himself out of contention on Thursday to play in the grand final.
Berry joins fellow premiership winners from last year – Eric Hipwood, Noah Answerth and Jack Payne – in being injured on the sidelines.
But Geelong have their own hardluck story, with star defender Tom Stewart missing out due a concussion suffered in their preliminary-final win against Hawthorn.
Ruckman Rhys Stanley, who last played in round 24, comes back in for Stewart after recovering from a hamstring injury.
“I’ve never subscribed to the theory that when one of your best players goes out that it’s just next man up,” Cats coach Chris Scott said.
(James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)
“They’re impossible to replace like-for-like.”
Stanley will slot back into the ruck after Blicavs was superb in the role in Geelong’s two previous finals.
With Stanley back in the middle, Blicavs – the ultimate utility – could be used as a defensive forward on Harris Andrews, the Lions’ three-time All-Australian defender.
Brisbane will go in with two specialist ruckmen, with Oscar McInerney to partner Darcy Fort after he missed last year’s premiership due to a shoulder injury.
Whoever wins the grand final will become the first AFL club this century to have won five premierships.
Geelong have missed finals just twice since breaking a 43-year flag drought in 2007.
The Lions famously put together a premiership three-peat from 2001-03, played finals just once between 2005 and 2018, but have regained their powerhouse tag by qualifying for a third-straight grand final.
AAP
