Lachie Neale is reportedly set to take a step back from some of his media duties during the 2026 season and will be replaced by Nick Daicos on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
According to The Herald Sun the weekly panel show had recruited the Collingwood superstar, who will now join up with Patrick Dangerfield, Toby Greene and Zach Merrett as regular talent on the programme’s Tuesday night broadcast.
Neale had also opted to stand down from his role as the Lions captain earlier in January, in the wake of the breakdown of his marriage with his wife, Julie.
He revealed that he and Julie had separated during a press conference with members of the media.
‘I can confirm, though, that with regret, Jules and I have now separated,’ Neale told reporters.
‘While I won’t go into specifics, I can say that I have let my family down and I apologise for my actions, which have hurt those closest to me. For that, I am deeply sorry.
Lachie Neale (pictured) is reportedly set to step down from his media duties and will be replaced by Nick Daicos on AFL 360
The move comes after Neale announced in January that he and his wife Julie were separating
‘I accept that this is a consequence of my actions, and I need to focus on rebuilding that trust with Jules as the future wellbeing of our children remains our number one priority.’
Neale is expected to keep a low profile during the 2026 season as he focuses on his family and footy.
The 32-year-old was also due to appear for a live Q&A on the Sunshine Coast back in January, but the event was postponed until March, with Neale now no longer set to appear as part of the panel.
Lions skipper Harris Andrews stated earlier this week that Neale’s team-mates were providing their support around the former skipper and Julie, following the saga.
‘We talked about it, some of the older guys at the club and Fages (coach Chris Fagan) and Danny (Daly, Lions football boss) and those guys about making sure we wrap our arms around Lach and wrap our arms around (former wife) Jules, and just try and be supportive of all stakeholders,’ Andrews said.
Daicos, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on winning last year’s Brownlow Medal, placing second in the voting behind Matt Rowell.
It will be a must-watch for Magpies fans with Daicos, one of the league’s most exciting players, set to deliver his insights on the weekly footy show.
‘He’s the most sought-after player in the game so clearly it took some decent persuading to get him across the line,’ AFL360 host Garry Lyon told The Herald Sun.
‘I also threatened he’d never represent the big V again if he didn’t take part!
‘At this stage he’s told us he’ll do a handful of spots and we’ll see if he enjoys it – but it’s great that he wants to be a part of it.’
Brisbane captain Harris Andrews (left) stated that the Lions were issuing their support to Lachie (right) and Julie in the wake of the saga
Daicos enjoyed a stand out season for Collingwood in 2025 and will appear alongside a host of other players for AFL 360’s Tuesday night show
Adelaide’s Jordan Dawson, Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw and Ed Richards of the Western Bulldogs are also set to appear on the show.
The news comes after it was announced this week that AFL umpires will be able to look at player stats before casting their votes.
The move has been implemented in an attempt to stop the annual controversy around the Brownlow Medal voting count.
Four field umpires will have access to official game data in 16 categories as they name their three best players after each game.
Gold Coast’s Rowell was a runaway winner of last year’s Brownlow, beating Collingwood star Daicos by seven votes.
But there were raised eyebrows when Rowell picked up three votes as best afield when he had less than 20 possessions.
Similarly, one of the stories of Brownlow night was St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera receiving just two votes for his game-winning performance against Melbourne.
Previously, umpires were not allowed to look at game statistics before voting. The change will also apply to the AFLW best-and-fairest voting.
AFL football performance boss Greg Swan said the essence of the voting will stay the same as the umpires’ opinion is what matters most.
Daicos will be joined by Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield (pictured), Zach Merrett and Toby Greene on the show
‘The Brownlow Medal is the most prestigious individual award in the AFL competition,’ Swan said in a statement.
‘Field umpires who are entrusted to vote are instructed to take time, care and thoughtfully deliberate before reaching a unanimous decision to ensure the integrity of the award is upheld.
‘While statistics can provide useful and reliable data, the essence of the award is clearly set out on the ballot paper.
‘It is the subjective opinion of the field umpires that will determine the voting for the award and the umpires are acutely aware of the importance of the award and the standing in which Brownlow Medallists are held in the game.’
