Why Lions star was 'bloody nervous' and when sub call was made

IT STARTED with 60 hours in a hyperbaric chamber. It included a decision to delete every app off his phone. And it ended with Brisbane coach Chris Fagan describing himself as a 'd***head' in a Monday meeting.

Lachie Neale's remarkable 22-day recovery from a torn calf to a Grand Final had just about everything. But it culminated in a second successive premiership, a game-defining goal, and a second-half performance for the ages.

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Earlier this month, Neale himself took to social media to declare his season over. A torn calf, sustained in a qualifying final loss to Geelong, would rule him out for up to six weeks. The prospect of a miraculous return was off the cards. Until it wasn't.

As the club counted down the days until a preliminary final berth against Collingwood, Neale realised he was making good ground. Two hours a day spent listening to music and watching Netflix in a hyperbaric chamber was starting to pay off.

Last Saturday, he got through a 10km running session. Later in the day, the Lions eased past the Pies to qualify for another Grand Final berth. It paved the way for a call from the coach on the Monday morning with an audacious idea.

Yes, he would play. But would he consider starting as the substitute?

"He raised it with me on Monday," Neale said afterwards.

"I sat in his office and he said – excuse the language – but he said, 'I feel like a bit of a d***head asking this but how would you feel about potentially being the sub?' There was still a bit to work through, but it was an option.

"We both agreed that it's not a bad way to go about it. Not having played much footy the last eight weeks, not knowing … I was confident in the calf, but it was about whether I could run out the game full stop.

"It was a bit of a masterstroke. It looks good now, but I was bloody nervous at half-time."

There was no exact plan as to when Neale would be activated. But he was aware that if the game was tight at half-time, he'd come on – hopefully with fresh legs – to start the third quarter.

And, indeed, the game was tight. For the first time all season, the scores were level at half-time. For the first time since 1909, the scores of a Grand Final were level at half-time. It was up to Neale to change the game.

"I was OK with it … I haven't done it in about 11 or 12 years," Neale said.

"I was pretty nervous at half-time, knowing that I was coming on. It was probably the most nervous I've ever been, to be honest, sitting there and waiting, knowing that if the game was in the balance at half-time they were going to sub me on."

Neale certainly changed the game. He finished with 17 disposals in a half, as well as seven clearances, seven score involvements, three tackles, two goal assists and a pivotal goal on the run from 50m out delivered late in the third quarter.

"You obviously hear a bit of the noise and question yourself," Neale said.

"But I've got great people around me who told me to delete all of my apps, which I did on Tuesday or Wednesday. I just homed in on my rehab and my training and the club, the physios, the medical staff, they all just gave me great confidence that I'd be good to go."

Neale didn't feel his troublesome right calf once on Saturday, despite the tear that threatened to ruin any chances he had of adding a second premiership to the two Brownlow Medals, four All-Australian blazers and six best and fairests in his collection.

"I felt it more jumping around since we've finished and it's cooled down," Neale laughed.

"Honestly, I didn't feel it once in the second half."

The feeling of lifting the cup certainly made that 22-day journey worth it. From posting on social media that his season was over, to not having social media at all, Neale experienced every emotion on his way to a second flag.

"I put up an Instagram post saying, 'poor me' and my season was over," Neale said.

"I look a bit stupid now. I got the scan results back and the guys from the medical staff said my season was done. I was shattered. But I had to get over it pretty quickly, because we had a final to play against Gold Coast.

"It doesn't feel like my career, to be honest. It sounds like someone that's a lot better than me at football. I'm just very proud and lucky that I'm a part of this great club that's given me all of these opportunities to do what I've done so far.

"I'm not finished yet."

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