- Midfielder is injury free, training well with his teammates
- Comes as Brisbane push for a premiership three-peat in 2026
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan insists Lachie Neale is enjoying his best pre-season in years despite the Lions midfielder dealing with well-publicised personal issues.
The dual Brownlow medallist, 32, relinquished the co-captaincy earlier in January amid a tumultuous and public marriage breakdown.
Footy fans were stunned after the footy star’s wife Jules Neale took to social media to claim she had been ‘betrayed in the most unimaginable way’.
It later emerged Neale was having an affair with Tess Crosley, who was regarded as Jules’ best friend.
Neale, one of the greatest players in Brisbane’s history after moving from Fremantle at the end of 2018, will likely return to Western Australia next year to be closer to his two children.
But until then, Neale remains a crucial part of Brisbane’s push to claim a third consecutive AFL premiership this season.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan insists Lachie Neale is enjoying his best pre-season in years despite the Lions midfielder (pictured) dealing with significant personal issues
In January, Lachie Neale confirmed he had separated from his wife Jules (left), who has since moved the couple’s two children with her to Western Australia
Neale was due to appear for a live show on Friday with teammate Dayne Zorko on the Sunshine Coast, but the event has been postponed until March
And Fagan confirmed the decorated midfielder is training well despite the intense tabloid interest in his personal life.
‘It hasn’t really affected things too much,’ Fagan told SEN.
‘It’s not like we sit around having meetings with the players and talk about it.
‘It’s just been myself, (Lions football boss) Danny (Daly) and Lachie.
‘To Lachie’s credit, in terms of the way that he’s training and going about things, he’s having his best pre-season in a long while.
‘Normally, he’s finished (other seasons) quite injured and been in rehab, but this year he had no injury.
‘He’s been able to train fully and is in the best shape he’s been in for ages.
‘He’s in a good place at the moment, obviously got a bit going on personally, but he seems to be coping with that pretty well.’
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan confirmed the decorated midfielder is training well despite the intense tabloid interest in his personal life
Jules Neale (left) was spotted this week at the Australian Open in Melbourne watching Alex de Minaur’s quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz
Neale has since moved out of the couple’s $2.43million marital home and has been living in an apartment in Brisbane.
Last week, a ‘for sale’ sign appeared outside the couple’s stunning five-bedroom Seven Hills house, which was once considered their ‘forever home’.
On Friday, Neale was due to appear for a live show on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast alongside team-mate Dayne Zorko.
However, the event has been postponed until March, and the former Brisbane Lions captain is no longer set to appear at the rescheduled Q&A.
The show, entitled ‘Lions Three-Peat Quest’ presented by Footy Feast Panel Show, was set to take place at Pier 33 in Mooloolaba.
Organisers told the Daily Mail they have chosen to postpone the event to Thursday, March 19 due to ticket sales.
The Lions begin their quest for a premiership three-peat when they host the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba on March 7.
