Brisbane finally got their man with midfield machine Lachie Neale moving from Freo to become a Lion.
Who won the deal - Brisbane, or Fremantle?
It's Nealey time!#LachieALion: https://t.co/RmSJ29Y431 pic.twitter.com/npke36pizJ
— Brisbane Lions (@brisbanelions) October 17, 2018
THE PLAYER
Lachie Neale
Date of birth: 24/5/93 (25 at round one 2019)
Games: 135
Fremantle best and fairest winner 2016, 2018
All Australian nominee 2015, 2016, 2018
MORE: All the latest AFL trade news | Brisbane get their man as Neale becomes a Lion
THE DEAL
Neale heads to Brisbane with pick No.30, for the Lions' pick No.6, No.19 and No.55.
THE NEEDS
Brisbane Lions
There’s no doubt Brisbane needs to beef up its midfield and Neale is going to do that immediately, although if the Lions lose Dayne Beams they may be back to a break-even situation on overall talent.
However, the possibility of losing Beams shows the more important reason to get Neale in – to give the young players on the list a belief they are at a club that matters.
Every quality disposal that comes off Neale’s boot over the next few years will be matched by Jarrod Berry and Hugh McCluggage and Cameron Rayner and Alex Witherden, and if the Lions can keep their core of quality kids at the club they may be able to get back to the glory days of the early 2000s.
Fremantle Dockers
Losing Neale means gaining Jesse Hogan, so it’s a matter of who is more important for Fremantle’s future - a ball magnet midfielder or a gun key forward?
To be honest it’s hard to say.
There’s no doubt the Dockers need Hogan or someone like him, but their midfield isn’t exactly star-studded either. Nat Fyfe’s a superstar but then it’s 33-year-old David Mundy and a bunch of inexperienced kids.
Still, Neale’s move will deliver Ross Lyon the goalkicking target Cam McCarthy and Matt Taberner have failed to be and the rebuild will take another big step forward.
THE WINNER
Ultimately Fremantle has robbed Peter to pay Paul and only time will tell if Hogan is more valuable than Neale.
Brisbane may have lost a high draft pick, but like Gold Coast’s trade for Lachie Weller last year, the Lions know they need confidence and stability through their list more than they need talented kids from far-off corners of the country.
And Neale is a much better footballer than Weller.
Brisbane the winner.