“ONE OF THE HARDEST DECISIONS OF MY CAREER…”: Lachie Neale Drops Bombshell About His AFL Future
Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale has addressed the uncertainty surrounding his future after the Lions’ victory over Geelong on Thursday night.
The star midfielder admitted he still has not made a final decision about where he will play next season, as speculation continues to grow around his next move.
Neale is yet to lock in his plans for 2026, with several clubs from Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia reportedly interested in securing his signature.
The 32-year-old had previously been linked with a possible move to Western Australia, where his former wife Jules now lives with their two children, Piper and Freddie, following their separation.
However, more recent reports have suggested Neale could be leaning towards Victoria, where he may have the chance to join a club pushing for premiership success.
Speaking to Fox Footy after Brisbane’s win over the Cats, Neale said he is still carefully considering what the right decision will be at this stage of his career.
“I’ve just got to weigh everything … success, finance, everything that goes along with playing footy. I’m 33 – probably don’t have that long left, so yeah, just weighing it all up,” he told Fox Footy.
“I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s 100% the truth – I’m not sure what I’ll decide.”
Lachie Neale speaks on his future.
Neale said meetings in the coming weeks will ultimately help make up his mind.
“If I’m honest, I have to go to a couple of meetings (with other clubs) and delve into it a little bit, but it’s more talking about the future and more so post-footy as well. I have those chats with Brisbane too and have caught up with Dom (Ambrogio) and Danny (Daly) a couple of times as well – it’s not just other clubs,” he continued.
“It’s a bit of a difficult situation that I’m working through … Yeah, work out what the best result is in due time.
“But I love playing for this club – I’m all in at the moment to try and win a third premiership, and who knows? I might be back next year as well.
“Obviously my kids, it’s well-documented are in Perth. I’ve got my family – Dad’s living in Hamilton at the moment. Gets back to Robe on the weekends.
“If you’ve been there it’s a beautiful place in South Australia. Then Mum and my stepdad are on a farm right on the border of South Australia and Victoria.
“It’s sort of weighing up whether to be closer to them, closer to the kids. Whether I stay in Brisbane and make that work as well – that’s definitely a chance. Like I said love playing here.”
Lachie Neale reportedly would prefer to move to a premiership contender. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
The Magpies are believed to be at the front of the race, while St Kilda, Essendon, Adelaide and West Coast have also been linked with interest in the dual Brownlow Medallist.
Neale is understood to be spending as much time as he can in Western Australia with his former wife Jules and their two children. Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has already made it clear the Lions would love to keep him, but would not block him if he decided a move was best.
Still, the personal side of the decision appears to be a major factor. Spending so much of the season away from his children is likely to be weighing heavily on him as he considers his future.
Speaking to Triple M earlier this year, Neale suggested he was looking closely at the “pros and cons” of his next move, while making it clear that family remains his biggest priority.
“For me, it comes down to family,” he said.
“Obviously my kids, love them to bits … Piper and Freddie.
“They’ll be top priority.”
