From Dockers to Lions: Lachie Neale's journey to the AFL grand final

Fremantle and Brisbane are set to face off in the AFL grand final, with a common thread between the two teams being star midfielder Lachie Neale.

Neale, who will be playing in his 321st AFL game, has been a key player for both teams throughout his career, and his journey is a testament to the connections between the two clubs.

A shared history

Fremantle and Brisbane both entered the AFL in the mid-1990s, as the league expanded into states outside of Victoria. The Dockers and Lions have had periods of dominance, but never really at the same time, until recent years.

Fremantle's first ever win in the AFL came against the Fitzroy Lions in round 3, 1995, while Fitzroy's last ever AFL win came against Fremantle in round 8, 1996. Fitzroy's last ever AFL game was also against Fremantle in Perth in round 22 of the 1996 season.

Neale's journey

Neale was drafted 58th overall by Fremantle in the 2011 draft and made his AFL debut with the Dockers in round 4, 2012. He was a key player for Fremantle during their first real period of contention under coach Ross Lyon in the early 2010s.

In 2019, Neale requested a trade to Brisbane and has since become one of the best players of his generation, winning multiple Brownlow Medals and premierships.

A pivotal moment

Neale's departure from Fremantle proved to be a pivotal moment in the Dockers' trajectory to the grand final. The following year's draft proved to be a watershed moment for Fremantle, as it supercharged its rebuild with the selections of Hayden Young and Caleb Serong.

Having seen Brisbane supplement its young core with shrewd recruitment of seasoned players such as Neale, Charlie Cameron, and Josh Dunkley, Fremantle has done the same, adding Luke Jackson and Shai Bolton.

All of it leads to the grand final, where Neale will be looking to have a big say in who holds the premiership cup.