Lachie Neale

Lachlan Neale (born 24 May 1993) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for Fremantle between 2012 and 2018.

Lachie Neale
Neale playing for the Fremantle Dockers in 2015.
Personal information
Full name Lachlan Neale
Date of birth (1993-05-24) 24 May 1993
Place of birth Naracoorte, South Australia
Original team(s) Glenelg (SANFL)
Draft No. 58, 2011 national draft
Height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 85 kg (187 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Brisbane Lions
Number 9
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2012–2018 Fremantle 135 (67)
2019– Brisbane Lions 25 (13)
Total 160 (80)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
2020 All Stars 1 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 1 2020.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

Originally from Apsley, a small town in Western Victoria, Neale moved across the border to a farm near Kybybolite at a young age [1]. Nicknamed the Cowboy, Neale played various junior sports in Naracoorte including basketball, soccer, cricket and football. Lachie started playing football for Kybybolite in 2004 as a 10 year old. He kicked 8 goals for the year as his team won the under 14 KNTFL premiership alongside future AFL player Jack Trengove.[2] Neale also won another under 14 premiership the next season once again alongside Trengove but also with future AFL teammate Alex Forster.[3] Neale kicked 14 goals for the season but was not selected for the Grand Final.[4] Lachie continued playing for Kyby and then received a scholarship to attend St Peter's College, Adelaide.[5] He played his junior football for the Kybybolite Football Club and then the Glenelg Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), including seven games in the league side before returning to the Under-18 team for the Grand Final. Despite Glenelg losing to Port Adelaide, he gathered 40 possessions and was awarded the Alan Stewart Medal as the best player in the game.[5] He represented South Australia at the 2011 AFL Under 18 Championships.[6]

AFL career

Neale was drafted to Fremantle with their fourth selection (number 58 overall) in the 2011 AFL draft.[7] Neale's close friend and former teammate from Kybybolite Junior Football Club, Alex Forster, was also drafted by Fremantle with their previous selection in the same draft.[8] They join former Melbourne co-captain and current Port Adelaide player Jack Trengove as ex-Kybybolite players on AFL lists.[9]

Neale played very well during the 2012 NAB Cup preseason games and was predicted to make his AFL debut in the opening round of the 2012 AFL season,[10] but hurt his ankle against Port Adelaide at Victor Harbor, South Australia.[7]

After playing two games for Swan Districts in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), Neale made his debut in round 4 of the 2012 AFL season against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium[7][11] as the substitute. He was activated during the third quarter, replacing Nick Suban.[12]

Neale's 2016 season was rewarded with the Doig Medal as the club best and fairest.[13]

At the conclusion of the 2018 season, after winning a second Doig Medal,[14] Neale requested a trade to Brisbane. He was traded on 17 October.[15]

Neale thrived at his new club in 2019, winning All-Australian team selection for the first time[16] and finishing equal-third in the Brownlow Medal with 26 votes.[17]

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2019 season[18]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Led the league for the season only
Led the league after season and finals
AFL playing statistics
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2012 Fremantle 271142517312418230.40.24.66.611.31.62.10
2013 Fremantle 27128411112623740200.70.39.210.519.83.31.71
2014 Fremantle 272381024229854091760.40.410.513.023.54.03.37
2015 Fremantle 27241610320338658114860.70.413.314.127.44.83.610
2016 Fremantle 272274289448737901010.30.213.120.433.54.14.620
2017 Fremantle 272114624532757294940.70.311.715.627.24.54.514
2018 Fremantle 272210625141666779930.50.311.418.930.33.64.211
2019 Brisbane Lions 92412730144174298900.50.312.518.430.94.13.826
Career 159 79 49 1810 2467 4277 624 583 0.5 0.3 11.4 15.5 26.9 3.9 3.7 89

References
  1. https://amp.theage.com.au/sport/afl/neale-gives-early-doubters-short-shrift-20190410-p51css.html
  2. Kybybolite-2004-Junior-Colts-Premiership_Page
  3. South Australian midfielder Lachie Neale ready to impress on big stage for Fremantle
  4. Kybybolite-2005-Junior-Colts-Premiership_Page
  5. Capel, Andrew (2 November 2011). "Neale walking tall for draft". The Advertiser. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  6. South-east players help SA under 18s win
  7. Butler, Steve (20 April 2012). "Freo teen Neale's baptism of fire". The West Australian.
  8. Turner, Matt (24 November 2011). "Mates Forster, Neale go to Freo". The Messenger. AdelaideNow.
  9. Duffield, Mark (29 November 2011). "New Docker motivated by father's lost VFL chance". The West Australian. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  10. O'Donoghue, Craig (6 March 2012). "Neale firms for Dockers' opener". The West Australian.
  11. Miller, Dale (19 April 2012). "Lyon keeps lid on homecoming hopes". The West Australian.
  12. Freo roar in Lyon's den Archived 8 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Tom, Wildie (8 October 2016). "Neale claims first Doig Medal". FremantleFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  14. "Neale wins second Doig Medal". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  15. Bowen, Nick; Navaratnam, Dinny (17 October 2018). "Lachie a Lion: Neale on the move to Brisbane". afl.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  16. "Who makes AFL.com.au's All Australian team?". afl.com.au. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  17. "Your club's Brownlow night: Leader, top five, total votes". afl.com.au. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  18. "Lachie Neale statistics". AFL Tables. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
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