AFL grand final 2025: Kane Cornes says Brisbane Lions should not play Lachie Neale against Geelong Cats

Playing an injured Lachie Neale would be “one of the great selection risks in a grand final that we’ve seen”, Channel Seven’s AFL analyst Kane Cornes has warned.

Cornes said the Lions should not gamble on the veteran’s fitness with so much at stake.

“I think it’s a risk not worth taking. That’s no criticism of anyone. It’s just that he’s played three quarters in seven weeks. He’s had two soft tissue injuries in that time. So, I’m just not sure how you can test him this week,” Cornes told The Nightly.

“He can get through all the training he likes, but how they’re going to replicate the fatigue that comes on halfway through the third quarter in a grand final … I’m just not sure you can prepare for that.

“If they pick him, I think it’ll be one of the great selection risks in a grand final that we’ve seen.

“I guess the ball will be left in in his court to probably make the call, provided he gets through all the training this week.”

Neale continues to defy expectations with his recovery after being written off as any chance of playing on Saturday.

Cornes believes having a bet each way and possibly starting the two-time Brownlow medallist as the sub would also be a bad call.

“It’s probably not ideal. But whether they play him with the idea that they might sub him out early, I’m not sure, you’ve got to be ready to play a full game,” he said.

“As we saw with Pendlebury in the prelim, if you get an injury earlier that player that comes on has to be prepared to play almost four quarters.”

Neale hurt his calf on September 5 and was ruled out for the season by the club, who deemed it at least a four-week injury.

But the midfielder and co-captain refused to accept that and, after completing a tough running session on Saturday, completed training in front of thousands of fans in Springfield on a warm Tuesday morning.

The biggest cheers were reserved for Neale though, who jogged laps and then took part in various drills in the surest sign yet a remarkable return was on the cards.

He kicked at goals, fielded ground balls and twisted and turned in traffic in the side’s final hit-out before flying to Melbourne on Wednesday.

Neale had 35 touches in the Lions’ grand-final domination of Sydney last year and is one of the cleanest ball-handlers under pressure in the competition.

Another big talking point of the week is Cats skipper Patrick Dangerfield and if he can repeat his dynamic performance in the preliminary final which inspired Geelong to a convincing win over Hawthorn.

“It’s going to be hard, it’s probably as good a game as he’s ever played. I don’t think anyone’s expecting him to do that again, but he will have his moments where he inserts himself physically into the game which has been remarkable for a player of that age, and in a new position that he’s been playing,” Cornes said.

“They don’t need him to do what he did last week. They just need a couple of big moments from him, which no doubt, I’m sure he’ll provide, as he always does.”

Geelong easily accounted for Brisbane in the opening round of the finals by shutting down Brisbane’s prolific on-baller Hugh McCluggage. Cornes said he was keen to see what Brisbane do differently to replicate their success against Geelong during the regular season and in last year’s preliminary final.

“It will be interesting to see what Brisbane come up with that’s different to last time. I mean, they’re pretty set in the way that they play behind the contested mark and are a ball movement team, but that didn’t work against them last time, where they conceded 60 points off turnover in Geelong. Geelong were ready for that,” he said.

“Can Brisbane midfield maintain the dominance they had against Collingwood? Both these midfields in the premium final were exceptional. I don’t think Will Ashcroft and (Hugh) McCluggage will get to be alone. And we know that (Oisin) Mullin did a great job on McCluggage last time and kept him to four kicks. And then Ashcroft had a great final series. I suspect (Tom) Atkins goes to him.

“And then, what do Geelong with Harris Andrews, who’s been incredible for Brisbane behind the ball. Whether it’s (Mark) Blicavs that plays that role, and (Rhys) Stanley comes in for (Tom) Stewart and plays ruck will be as well.”

WATCH THE AFL GRAND FINAL LIVE AND FREE ON SEVEN AND SEVEN PLUS