Brisbane Lions senior coach Chris Fagan has publicly addressed the uncertain future of star player Lachie Neale, stating the club will support any decision the two-time Brownlow Medallist makes to prioritise his family.
Coach's Blessing for a Potential Move West
Speaking on Thursday, Fagan expressed his hope that Neale would remain with the Lions beyond the 2024 AFL season. However, he made it clear that if the 32-year-old chooses to move to a West Australian club as an unrestricted free agent to be closer to his children, he would depart with the club's full blessing. Neale's contract expires at the end of the upcoming season, fuelling speculation about a return to his former state.
"I don't know the answer to that either. I hope he does (stay), but he's an unrestricted free agent," Fagan admitted. "He can make a call on what he needs to do. He probably needs the next six or seven months to see what the next right step is."
Fagan emphasised the club's compassionate stance, adding, "I hope he stays and plays with us. But if he chooses to move back to Perth, because he needs to be close to his children, then he'll do that with our blessing. We're not going to hold anyone to ransom. We'll just go along with the flow on that."
Navigating Personal Turmoil in the Public Eye
The situation follows Neale's public marriage breakdown and his subsequent decision to step down as co-captain on January 2. At a press conference, Neale stated he had "let his family down." His wife, Jules, has since moved back to Perth – where the couple first met during Neale's tenure with Fremantle – taking their two children with her.
Fagan described the co-captaincy decision as "sensible" given the challenging circumstances and expressed sadness over the very public nature of the family's difficulties. "Obviously, sad for Jules, sad for Lachie, sad for the children, sad that it's become such a public thing," he said.
The coach praised Neale's character, highlighting his decision to address the media voluntarily. "I thought it was pretty brave what he did last week. He stood up and owned it... I thought that showed really good emotional intelligence and a real sense of responsibility, so I admire him for that."
Focus On-Field and Leadership Reshuffle
Despite the off-field turbulence, Fagan is confident Neale can still perform at his elite level and does not believe the situation will derail Brisbane's quest for a third consecutive Grand Final appearance. "Our group's a pretty mature group. They're able to separate what happens in someone's private life from what happens here at the club," Fagan noted.
With Neale relinquishing the captaincy, Fagan indicated the leadership structure would be revised. The likely scenario is either Harris Andrews becoming the sole skipper, or Josh Dunkley and Hugh McCluggage joining him as co-captains.
Fagan concluded by reaffirming the club's duty of care, stating their primary role is to "wrap our arms around him and his family and help them where we can." He reiterated that beyond that support, the matter remains a private issue for Neale and his family to resolve.
