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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Why Cornes believes Lachie Neale stepping down as captain is a win for the Brisbane Lions
SEN • January 11th, 2026 12:02 pm
Kane Cornes believes the news of Lachie Neale standing down as captain from the Brisbane Lions will be a blessing for the football club, citing opportunities for others and the chance to move on at season’s end a beneficial outcome for the reigning premiers.
Neale, who turns 33 in May, has had a rough run with injuries in the past couple of seasons.
And despite becoming a Brownlow medallist twice, as well as being an important cog in Brisbane’s last two premiership’s, Cornes believes this is a perfect opportunity for the Lions to enter a transition period with their midfield.
And despite becoming a Brownlow medallist twice, as well as being an important cog in Brisbane’s last two premiership’s, Cornes believes this is a perfect opportunity for the Lions to enter a transition period with their midfield.
Speaking on the The Eddy Cornes Podcast, Cornes explains how the injection of youth can help this side evolve into being an even stronger side in 2026 and beyond.
“I think it’s an absolute win for Brisbane, from a footy point of view,” Cornes said on Neale stepping down from the captaincy position at Brisbane.
“As much as you’ll say well Lachie Neale is a dual Brownlow Medallist and his performances in both Grand Finals have been nothing short of unbelievable. I thought he was the Norm Smith medallist in 2024 and his second half in 2025 with that calf injury was something that I’ve never seen the likes of.
“But now, with the young players coming through at Brisbane, there are midfield minutes that need to be given to the Ashcroft brothers and (Jaspar) Fletcher’s going to end up being a midfielder. They’ve got another academy kid coming through so there are midfield minutes there that need to be given to the young generation coming through.
“And Lachie, at 32 with the issues now with his body, it’s the perfect opportunity at the end of this year for Brisbane to let him go to suit his family life and head to probably West Coast or Fremantle.”
Despite Neale being a former Docker, as well as having links in previous years to return to the club he was drafted to, Cornes thinks it’s Fremantle’s biggest rivals who would be the most likely destination for him – if he was to decide to leave at the end of the 2026 season.
“Probably West Coast you would think with where they’re at for another couple of years and extend his career,” Cornes said.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing if he leaves at the end of this year, certainly from a footy point of view and we’ll see how it effects his on-field performance this year.”
From an even further on-field look at what the absence of Neale to the Lions would mean to the reigning premiers, Cornes explains how the balance of their already star-studded midfield will improve from the change, dissecting the vulnerability they have defensively when it is occupied by the likes of the Ashcroft brothers and Neale.
“Even this year, there was a school of thought that when Lachie Neale had played, certainly from a defensive point of view throughout the midfield, that there was a vulnerability there,” Cornes said.
“So (Josh) Dunkley is this outstanding defensive midfielder that they’ve got. (Jarrod) Berry is also of a similar ilk like they’re renowned for their defensive attributes as well as some of their offensive stuff.
“(Will and Levi) Ashcroft, both of them are not defensively minded at all so it’s about getting that balance right in the midfield and Lachie is the same.
“These star midfielders don’t typically defend. They haven’t needed to. But that can come back to bite you if you don’t get the balance right through the midfield.
“And now with the issues with his body have started to pile up, he had the quad, he had the calf, that’s not going to get better with age. And the injection of youth that Brisbane have got, they can’t be having the Ashcroft’s play on the half forward line. It’s just not going to happen. And Lachie Neale is not going to do that.
“I think as much as Chris (Fagan) is painting it as a favour to Lachie, I think it would also be a favour to Brisbane if he ends up heading back at nearly the age of 33 with the drama that’s going to go on and the distraction that’s going to be there this year for the footy club in and around that and what a circus it has been.
“It’s not going to be a bad thing if he leaves.”
Brisbane begins their premiership defence with a home game against the Western Bulldogs in opening round in March.
The Lions will have an added incentive this season, as they look to be the first team since the 2013-2015 Hawks to win three premierships in a row.
The situation with Neale will be closely monitored all season long, to see how much of an impact it has on how successful the Lions are in 2026.
