AFL grand final: Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale admits he thought he’d miss AFL decider with suspension

Brisbane Lions superstar Lachie Neale admits he didn’t think he would be playing in this year’s grand final before his one-match ban was sensationally overturned.

Neale was suspended by the AFL match review officer for striking Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan in the Lions’ thrilling preliminary final victory at the MCG last Saturday.

The club unsuccessfully challenged the ban at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday before taking it to the AFL Appeals Board, who ruled in Neale’s favour on Thursday, just two days out from the grand final.

When asked if he thought his suspension would be upheld, Neale conceded that for “most of the week” he thought he would have to sit out the AFL decider.

“You’re never really sure how these things are going to go, but very happy that it’s gone my way,” he told Fox Footy.

It’s not the first time there had been a question mark around whether the two-time Brownlow Medalist’s would play in a grand final week, having made a miraculous recovery from a calf injury late in 2025.

The year prior he dealt with another injury that had plagued him for the back-end of the season.

Neale said his experiences of dealing with availability issues over the past two years had prepared him for the tumultuous week.

“I think for me I’ve sort of dealt with, like you said last year, even the year before I had a bit of a foot issue,” he said.

“These things tend to arise late in the year with injuries, and this one’s obviously a bit different with suspension, but I feel like I’m quick to deal with it and perform tomorrow.”

With Brisbane featuring in the past three AFL deciders, winning the past two, Neale said this was the best his body had felt heading into the winner-takes-all game.

“I actually feel really good,” he said. “It’s probably the best I’ve felt body wise going into a grand final in the four that I’ve played in the last four years. I feel really good in my body and looking forward to it.”

The 33-year-old is set for a blockbuster match-up in the middle with both sides boasting strong engine rooms.

Neale gave credit for his former side’s stacked midfield.

“The depth that they’ve got through there now with Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw, Shai Bolton, Luke Jackson has obviously had an amazing year as well, Hayden Young and then they’ve got Murphy Reid who goes through there as well,” he said.

“They’ve just got depth everywhere, so it’s going to be a great battle, but we feel like we’ve got great depth too.”