Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale is favoured to become the fourth AFL player to complete a clean sweep of the competition’s three major individual awards.
Neale is almost certain to collect the AFL Coaches’ Association player of the year award on Thursday night and is likely to be announced as the AFL Players’ Association MVP in the same bumper ceremony.
The 27-year-old midfielder is also the red-hot favourite for the game’s most prestigious individual honour, the Brownlow Medal, which will be presented on October 18.
Only three players have claimed all three major individual awards in the same season – Dustin Martin (2017), Patrick Dangerfield (2016) and Gary Ablett Jnr (2009) – since the AFLCA prize was first awarded in 2003.
Geelong’s Ablett and Richmond’s Martin both starred in their clubs’ premierships in the same years to cap their awards hauls.
Neale will lead Brisbane’s flag charge from the front after an outstanding home-and-away season, starting with a qualifying final against Richmond on Friday week (October 2).
The prolific on-baller has accumulated more disposals than any other player in the competition this year – gathering 468 at an average of 27.5 per game, despite shortened quarter lengths – and ranks in the top five for clearances.
“What stands out most is how clean he is and the amount of touch work he does to be able to do that,” Lions teammate Hugh McCluggage said.
“It’s no fluke that he can pick up a ground ball better than anyone and he reads the play really well to set up teammates.
“He’s been so beneficial for us in terms of the way he can grab the ball and feed it out to you in a better spot.
“His running patterns and clearance work are amazing to watch.”
Thursday’s virtual awards ceremony will see the AFL announce the AFLPA and AFLCA awards along with the 2020 All-Australian team, Rising Star Award and Coleman Medal winner.
The awards are usually presented on separate nights during the build-up to the finals, but have been brought together in a television broadcast in 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Neale will collect his second All-Australian blazer and is considered a lock for a midfield spot in the team of the season.
He is one of 10 players picked in the initial 40-man squad – including Harris Andrews, Marcus Bontempelli, Nat Fyfe, Max Gawn, Dylan Grimes, Tom Hawkins, Jack Macrae, Scott Pendlebury and Dangerfield – who could earn selection in consecutive years.
Neale sat on 85 votes in the AFLCA player-of-the-year award when voting went in-camera after round 16, with Port Adelaide’s Travis Boak (69) the only player able to catch him.
Neale had a rare quiet game against Sydney in round 17 but is likely to poll more votes for his starring role in the Lions’ win over Carlton in the final round of the home-and-away season.
