Lions star Lachie Neale was reportedly shown around Collingwood’s state-of-the-art training facility last week in a major hint that his future lies away from Brisbane.
According to veteran AFL reporter Tom Morris, the 33-year-old toured the AIA Centre on Friday, while he was already in Melbourne for the Lions match against Carlton on Saturday night.
Neale is an unrestricted free agent and is yet to publicly announce where he’ll be playing in 2026, with several Victorian, South Australian and Western Australian clubs all understood to be interested in his signature.
But in recent weeks Collingwood have emerged as frontrunners for the dual Brownlow medallist, with the Pies reportedly tabling Neale a three-year, $3million contract.
Collingwood is on the hunt to add an elite midfielder to their squad and has also put themselves in the running to secure the services of Zak Butters. However, that is seen as a long shot.
Neale has family in WA, SA and Victoria and that is understood to be driving him away from the Lions amid a difficult time in his personal life.
In telling comments that his future likely lies away from Brisbane, Neale told Triple M earlier this year that he is weighing up the “pros and cons”, but ultimately family comes first.
“For me, it comes down to family,” he said.
“Obviously my kids, love them to bits … Piper and Freddie.
“They’ll be top priority.”
It was originally thought that Neale would head back to Western Australia and play with a club from WA to be closer to his children.
His marriage with Jules Neale broke down in December last year, and she is now living in Perth with their two young children, Piper and Freddie.
However, Victoria now appears to be the most likely landing spot for Neale, given the clubs are better equipped to offer him a lucrative deal and are in a position to challenge for a flag.
The two-time premiership winner also had a meeting with St Kilda coach Ross Lyon last month.
Lyon coached Neale at the beginning of his career at the Dockers, and the Saints are also in the running for Neale’s signature.
“There’s due diligence, to try to get better, and that’s all it is here,” Lyon said about his dinner with Neale.
“It’s the normal dinner, with both people window shopping. There’s certainly no strong agenda from either side.
“But if Collingwood and Essendon and everyone are talking to Lachie, I think I can slip in between entrée and main: ‘What are you thinking about doing with your life in footy?’”
Neale moves on with new flame
The news comes after Neale seemingly moved on from his marriage breakdown with Jules as he was spotted with a new flame on the weekend.
It’s believed brunette Emma Field is the new woman in Neale’s life, with the pair seen together at Brisbane Airport after flying back from Melbourne.
They were spotted grinning as they walked side-by-side, with Neale understood to have waited for Field to join him in the terminal after he disembarked from the plane with his teammates.
It’s understood Field was also in Perth the week prior when the Lions travelled to play against West Coast.
Sources suggest Field, who works in advertising, even recently floated the idea of transferring to Melbourne for work.
The move would conveniently align with whispers that Neale is ready to make the move to Victoria next season.
Kane Cornes torches Lachie Neale
Footy pundit Kane Cornes says Neale would have angered teammates by touring a rival club one day before the team’s shock loss to Carlton.
Cornes said on his SEN Breakfast show: “I can’t stand it. I can’t stand it.
“You’ve got a chance to be in absolute rare air and win three premierships in a row. You’re fighting for a top four position to do that — and the day before a game you’re at another club’s facility.
“I cannot stand it.”
He said the idea of Neale touring a rival club’s facilities one day after a game would have been “slightly better”.
“He can do whatever he wants, but is that the best thing for him and his team to play well,” he said.
“But why don’t you just wait until the end of the year? There’s plenty of time.”
He went on to say even coach Chris Fagan would be privately “furious”.
“There’s a way you can do it which is respectful,” Cornes said.
“You can take a phone call. There’s a difference between taking a phone call and touring a rival club’s facility the day before a game, and then that becomes public.
“I’m not sure if that is in the best interests of his footy club. I bet you if you ask Chris Fagan and those at Brisbane — whilst publicly they will say they don’t haven issue with it — I reckon they’d be furious.
“If you deep down ask Chris Fagan what he really thought of his star player at another team’s facilities the day before a game — I bet you Chris Fagan, if he was honest, would be not that happy.”
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