Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale is excited about what the 2023 season could hold, feeling his side is right in its premiership window.
The Lions have been right around the mark for a number of years now and continue to take swings in the trade period to add to their list.
Western Bulldogs star midfielder Josh Dunkley and veteran Hawthorn forward Jack Gunston will give Brisbane even more firepower in 2023, while they also will pick up the number one player in the draft crop via father-son access in Will Ashcroft.
“(A premiership) is what we’re all gunning for and I feel like we’re very well set up at the moment to attack that as best we can and that’s what we’re aiming for next year,” Neale told SENQ’s Pat and Heals.
“We’re very excited. I think the guys feel like we’ve put all the pieces together. We’ve got some youth coming through that’s really pushing the guys for selection and we’ve got some guys in their prime as well.
“Guys like Jarrod Berry and Hugh McCluggage who have been around five or six years now who are starting to play some exceptional footy, and we get some high-end talent through the door as well.
“We probably feel like our time is now and over the next few years we really want to capitalise.
“I wouldn’t be the first one to say that next year we should be gunning for a premiership and that’s what our main goal will be.
“Gunston will be great for our forward line in terms of leadership, but he’s also a really crafty player and obviously a three-time premiership player as well.
“Josh into the midfield mix is exciting. I can’t wait to play with him and I think he’ll really elevate my game as well.”
Neale is coming off arguably a career best season in 2022 and hopes to use the coming summer to add to his game.
“I enjoyed the first three to four weeks mentally and physically just getting a bit of a spell, but the last six to seven weeks I’ve started to get stuck into my program pretty heavily and trying to get better once again,” the Brownlow Medallist said.
“I think if you rest on your laurels and put your feet up and think it’s just going to happen again, it doesn’t happen.
“I found out pretty quickly in 2021 after a pretty interrupted off-season and pre-season injury wise that these months are crucial.
“I’m just trying to set myself up to play the best footy that I can. Not really working on anything in particular at the moment other than my fitness and strength. Just trying to keep the level I was at last year in terms of my fitness base and try to get a little bit stronger through my shoulders and core.
“I’ve had a few issues with my shoulders in recent years, so trying to get those right and ready to go for pre-season.”