Lachie Neale doesn’t “give a s***” he will be in for a long recovery after starring in the Brisbane Lions’ first premiership in 21 years.
The dual Brownlow medallist turned up to the Lions’ Melbourne family day at Brunswick St Oval in Fitzroy on Sunday with his left leg in a moon boot.
Neale has managed a heel issue for weeks, barely training, but kept turning up to lead Brisbane to a stunning grand final triumph over Sydney on Saturday.
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The Lions co-captain said he heard something “pop” in the last quarter against the Swans, revealing he feared he has snapped his plantar fascia.
Footage of Neale walking back out onto the ground with the team after the crowd had left shows just how much he was struggling to walk, moving only at a slow pace with a significant limp in his left foot.
But the pain was worth it for Neale, who finally becomes a premiership player in his 13th AFL season.
“I couldn’t give a s***,” Neale replied when asked about the pain in his foot.
“It’s a little bit sore this morning but that’s probably because I was up until 6am on it, so the physio has put me in a boot.”
Neale described finally becoming a premiership winner as being “way better” than he thought it would be.
“You always imagine that moment and think it’s going to be incredible,” he said.
“Words can’t really describe how incredible the last (period of time) since that final siren.
“I can’t really say the best moment of my life, otherwise my wife will kill me, but very close.”
Neale was pipped to the Norm Smith medal by young star Will Ashcroft, with the pair setting the MCG alight in a blistering display against the highly-rated Swans midfield.
In a frightening prospect for opposition teams, Ashcroft’s younger brother Levi will join Brisbane during this year’s draft.
“Speaking to Levi last night, he said we’ll run it back next year,” Will said when asked if he was determined for more success.
The club’s visit to the spiritual home of the Fitzroy football club was in stark contrast to 12 months earlier when the mood was downcast following a heartbreaking four-point loss against Collingwood in the grand final.
Arguably the fan-day crowd, estimated to be about 7000, saved the biggest cheer of the day for Oscar McInerney.
The popular ruckman missed the grand final after twice dislocating his shoulder during a heroic performance in the Lions’ preliminary final win against Geelong.
His selflessness to be happy for his teammates and the club will go down in Lions folklore.