- Lachie Neale wore her left leg in a moon boot on Sunday
- Team appeared at Lions family day in Melbourne
- Neale said he heard something pop under his foot.
Lachie Neale doesn’t “give a damn”; A long recovery awaits him after starring in the Brisbane Lions’ first premiership in 21 years.
The double Brownlow medalist turned up at the Melbourne Lions family day at Brunswick St Oval in Fitzroy on Sunday with his left leg in a moon boot.
Neale has been managing a heel problem for weeks, barely training, but kept turning up to lead Brisbane to a stunning grand final win over Sydney on Saturday.
The Lions co-captain heard something “pop” in the final quarter against the Swans, revealing he feared he had torn his plantar fascia.
But the pain was worth it for Neale, who finally becomes a major player in his 13th AFL season.
“I wouldn’t care at all,” Neale responded when asked about the pain in his foot.
“This morning it hurts a little bit, but it’s probably because I was awake until 6am, so the physiotherapist put a boot on me.”
Neale described finally becoming a premiership winner as being “a lot better” than he thought.
Lachie Neale attended the Melbourne Lions family day at Brunswick St Oval in Fitzroy on Sunday with her left leg in a moon boot.
Fans turned out in droves to celebrate with the players on Sunday.
“You always imagine that moment and think it’s going to be amazing,” he said.
‘Words really can’t describe how amazing the last (time period) has been since that last siren.
“I can’t really say what the best moment of my life was, otherwise my wife would kill me, but very close.”
Neale was pipped to the Norm Smith medal by young star Will Ashcroft, and the pair lit up the MCG in a blistering display against the Swans’ highly rated midfield.
In a terrifying prospect for rival teams, Ashcroft’s younger brother Levi will join Brisbane during this year’s draft.
“Talking to Levi last night, he said we’ll run it again next year,” Will said when asked if he was determined to be more successful.
Neale said he didn’t care about his foot at all after yesterday’s win.
Lions players were in high spirits as they mingled with happy fans in Fitzroy.
Lions fans are celebrating as a 21-year first-place drought has come to an end.
The club’s visit to the spiritual home of Fitzroy Football Club was in stark contrast to that 12 months earlier, when spirits were low following a heartbreaking four-point defeat to Collingwood in the grand final.
The fan day crowd, estimated at around 7,000, saved arguably the biggest ovation 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 victory against Geelong.
His lack of interest in being happy for his teammates and the club will go down in Lions history.
