Brisbane Lions head coach Chris Fagan has discussed Lachie Neale’s future, admitting it would be a “head scratcher” if he decided to move to Melbourne.
The two-time premiership winner is out of contract at the end of the year and his future as been the topic of intense speculation.
There are suggestions he could return to Perth to be closer to his children, or to South Australia where his parents live.
But if Neale is up for grabs there will be no shortage of interest from clubs in Melbourne, with Collingwood said to be leading the charge to sign him.
However such a move would leave boss Fagan a little confused.
“That would be a bit of a head scratcher for me,” the Lions said on SEN Breakfast.
“But it’s his business how he sees this and where he thinks the best location is for him in relation to his family.
“I don’t like getting involved too much in these personal decision, they are way more complex than we all think from the outside looking in.
“I think I’ll just leave it at that, I’m not too involved in the private lives of my players.”
Fagan also stressed his desire to keep Neale at the Lions, though he understands that could prove difficult.
He revealed he plans to let Neale make his own mind up, with their chats often instead focusing on his player’s wellbeing given the drama surrounding his personal life.
“We definitely want to keep him. There’s no question about that,” Fagan continued.
“The thing is that we don’t have that much power in that decision because it’s really something that is up to Lachie because he’s a free agent.
“He knows we want him to stay and we’ll be trying to make him an offer that will help him to stay. But he’s got other things going on in his life that he has to think about as well.
“So it’s a fairly complex situation that he finds himself in. I haven’t had too many lengthy conversations with him about that, I’m mostly checking in just to see if he’s going okay because he’s had a year where he’s been under a hell of a lot of scrutiny and pressure. My concern mostly as his coach is for his welfare.
“Whatever decision he makes going forward, we hope it goes our way, but we also understand if it doesn’t.”
Originally published as Brisbane Lions head coach Chris Fagan weighs in on Lachie Neale future speculation