Dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale has backed himself to play in the AFL grand final but the decision now rests with Brisbane coach Chris Fagan and his staff.
The 32-year-old was officially ruled out of playing again this year after suffering a calf injury in the qualifying final against Geelong — next week’s opponents — three weeks ago, with scans detailing an injury worth 4-6 weeks on the sidelines.
But he has spent several hours a week in a hyperbaric chamber and put in the work to now be sure that he is fit enough to pull on the Lions jumper in the premiership decider.
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Neale finished an 8km session on Saturday, complete with “a lot of high-speed stuff”.
“I think I’ve ticked every box so far that I’ve had to,” he said in the rooms after Brisbane’s win over Collingwood.
“I think I’ll just train as normal next week. I tested (speed) today and it went really well.
“I’ll probably just train as normal and hopefully Fages picks me.”
Brian Taylor replied: “Wow, this is exciting.”
Neale admitted he is “trying to keep a lid on it a little bit”.
“There’s still a couple of hoops to jump through and I’ve got to get the old boy to pick me too,” he said.
“I’ve got to try and get in his here pretty early in the week.
“We’ll see how we go. The boys are performing so well that it’ll be hard for anyone to miss out, so we’ll just see how it plays out.
“I’m just super proud of the group, to make three grand finals in a row, seven finals series. Whether I play or not I’m just stoked for the boys. I’m pumped.”
Fagan later told Taylor the Lions’ fitness staff were indeed “very pleased” with Neale’s strong running session earlier on Saturday.
“I reckon there’s some chance he’ll be available,” he said.
Sam Marshall and Bruce Reville are the two players on the selection bubble if Neale returns.
Marshall, 19, has been subbed in or out in five of his 10 games since debuting while Reville’s count is eight of 12.
One of the two could earn a reprieve if Jarrod Berry is declared unfit to play in the grand final, after his damaged left shoulder popped out in Saturday night’s win.
He was subbed out for Reville but has backed himself to play — even if it means avoiding a scan until afterwards.
Berry suffered the same issue last month and missed time, but said the club doctors had told him he could have played if it had been a grand final.
Now he gets to put that theory to the test.
“They said before the Hawthorn game that if it was a grand final I’d play, so we’ll see what happens,” he told Channel 7 after the win over the Pies.
“Maybe we don’t even scan it and just strap it up and go for it.”
However, Fagan wasn’t as optimistic.
“I think Berry might be a long shot with the shoulder,” Fagan said.
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