Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale hits back at AFL legend's scathing criticism
Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale hit out at an AFL legend's harsh criticism with a cheeky Instagram post.
Neale was given a tight tag during Brisbane's win against Port Adelaide, but a bit of the niggle from Cameron Sutcliffe and Dougal Howard went a tad far.
In the first quarter Neale was forced to come off the field and have his eye checked by Lions medical staff, which led to Dermott Brereton ripping into the gun Brisbane player.
"I want him out there. Let him take it. He’s a senior player," the five-time Premiership-winner said on Fox Footy.
" It’s a man’s game. It’s hard, it’s tough... 'I’ve got to stand up and take this'.
"Let him go out there, take the heat."
Lachie Neale of the Brisbane Lions Instagram/AAP
Neale obviously took note of the scathing criticism of his 'manliness' and leadership within the team, and fired back at Brereton on social media.
On Wednesday he posed on his Instagram story a photo of his red right eye as a result of an eye poke.
"Sorry @dermottbrereton for getting my eye check Q1," Neale wrote alongside the image.
Lions coach Chris Fagan later described Port Adelaide's game tactics as "over the top".
Brereton's comments came as former St Kilda and Essendon great Brendon Goddard also called on players, such as Neale, to toughen up.
"I think today's players, the 'Gen Z' I'm referring to, they're brought up not expecting this and not playing like this, like we did," Goddard said on\u00a0AFL Tonight.
"Early on in their senior career we copped a lot of this, myself. It's something they're trying to eradicate. I'm a bit old school, if it's within the rules, I'm fine with it."
