St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has emphatically closed the door on any pursuit of Brisbane Lions midfielder Lachie Neale, declaring the Saints' interest is finished after a face-to-face meeting with the dual Brownlow medallist — a decision made on the same afternoon the club held off a spirited Port Adelaide fightback to stay alive in the wildcard race.
Lyon draws a line under Neale speculation
Lyon and Neale met privately at an exclusive restaurant, where it was determined St Kilda would not take the chase any further. The coach was unambiguous in his assessment after Saturday's narrow 14-point victory over Port Adelaide.
"It's just really not possible for us with everything where our young players are out of contract," Lyon said. "We didn't miss out because it would have been something we could pursue, and the relationship was strong, and that could have got done if we were in a position to do that. But we're not. I didn't want any noise for Lachie, his club, and us in the middle of it. We're clearly out. It's done."
Neale, 33, had history with Lyon from his early playing days at Fremantle, and a reunion had been a topic of speculation for weeks. However, the Saints are prioritising the retention of their own midfield core over external recruitment. Darcy Wilson is out of contract at season's end, while Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera comes off contract after next season. Both featured strongly in Saturday's midfield alongside Hugo Garcia.
The club also committed significant resources in last year's trade period, adding Tom De Koning, Silvagni, Sam Flanders and Liam Ryan, making further major spending difficult to justify at this stage.
Saints survive Port Adelaide scare to stay in finals hunt
The win itself was far from comfortable. St Kilda built a six-goal lead by half-time but were outplayed after the long break, eventually holding on 13.9 (87) to 10.13 (73) to remain in contention for a wildcard berth.
Port Adelaide's challenge was hampered by a string of injuries that mounted throughout the afternoon. Star midfielder Zak Butters — widely expected to depart the club when his contract expires at season's end — left the game late in the third quarter clutching the top of his foot and lower shin, a gesture that pointed toward possible syndesmosis damage rather than a routine ankle sprain. Butters had been one of Port's best in the second half, gathering 11 possessions in the third quarter alone before landing awkwardly in a marking contest.
"[It] didn't look great," Port coach Josh Carr said, noting the severity of any syndesmosis issue would become clearer with scans in the coming days. If the damage proves serious, Butters may have played his final game in Power colours.
Port also lost forward Mitch Georgiades to concussion in the second term, while Lachie Jones suffered a rib injury just before three-quarter-time and Jack Lukosius battled a calf complaint for most of the afternoon.
Neale's next move — and what's ahead for the Saints
With St Kilda officially out of the picture, Collingwood loom as the most prominent alternative destination for Neale. Magpies coach Craig McRae confirmed he has spoken with the unrestricted free agent and that the club intends to keep its options open. "Until any free agent is signed, we have a strategic plan looking at who is available. We will just keep that hat in the ring," McRae said.
Neale endured a turbulent start to the year off the field, with his marriage breakdown resulting in his wife Jules and their two children, Piper and Freddie, relocating to Perth. He also stood down as Lions co-captain during that period. Despite the personal upheaval, he has produced another strong season in Brisbane as the club chases a third straight premiership.
For St Kilda, Lyon confirmed forward Max King will not play at any level this week despite positive form in training, with a call on his return date expected within the coming fortnight.
