Lachie Neale ends chaotic year with big reveal
Lachie Neale was far from the best player afield during the AFL grand final, but he was easily the most talked about man out there on Saturday.
The two-time Brownlow Medal winner has found himself in the headlines over and over again throughout 2026, and he finished a chaotic season by confirming he has played his last game for Brisbane.
Lachie Neale leaves Brisbane with two Brownlows and three premierships. via Getty Images
Neale will leave the club as a three-time premiership winner after his Lions orchestrated a stunning late comeback to deny Fremantle their maiden premiership in what Kane Cornes called “one of the greatest grand finals you’ll see”.
Ironically, Neale played the first half of his career for the Dockers and would have once loved nothing more than to see them win a flag.
On Saturday he started the game on the bench, and was booed loudly by the MCG crowd when he first entered the field of play. He was booed over and over again throughout the game.
He ended the night with 20 touches, two tackles and three clearances, and another medal around his neck.
“It feels pretty surreal at the moment,” Neale told Seven.
“It doesn’t feel real at the moment. I’ve got great people around me, I’ve had great support around me the last 12 months from a lot of people that love me.
“The club kept things really normal, I had to attend a couple of tribunals but other than that, I just trained like I was going to play and fortunately for me, it fell my way on Thursday night.
“I probably didn’t play my best game, had a couple of good moments, but just happy to play.”
Neale, 33, confirmed he will depart the club, amid reports he will sign a three-year deal to join Collingwood during the trade period.
“Like I said before, it doesn’t feel real at the moment, but I’m sure it will sink in. I’ve absolutely loved my time at this footy club, they’re an exceptional organisation from top to bottom and I can’t thank them enough,” he said.
“It’s been an incredible ride and the best eight years of my life.
“I’m going to miss them very much.”
Neale courted plenty of controversy earlier this year when his wife Jules moved back to Perth with their children, after allegedly catching him cheating with a friend.
Last week he went Instagram official with a new flame.
His ex-wife Jules posted a photo before the grand final on Saturday wearing a purple scarf - a clear message she was barracking against the husband she has now left.
Jules Neale (right) donning purple for the grand final. Seven
Neale found controversy again in the week leading up to the grand final, when he was banned and then free to play in the space of two days.
The AFL tribunal hit him with a suspension for an off-the-ball gut punch on Jack Ginnivan last week. The Lions appealed the decision and the appeals board somehow found Neale’s relatively clean record was enough to let him play the big dance.
Neale was booed during Friday’s grand final parade in Melbourne – presumably by angry Dockers fans.
He copped the same treatment during the game on Saturday. When he was awarded a free kick in front of goal, the crowd delighted when he sprayed his set shot to the right.
But in the end, he had the last laugh.
He walked onto the stage to accept his premiership medal, and simply raised three fingers to the crowd.
