There’s been plenty of noise around Lachie Neale this week - but Fremantle supporters saved the biggest sound for the grand final parade as they hollered a ‘FREEE-OOO’ chant at the former Docker.

Neale also copped a chorus of boos as the parade made its way around the tennis centre, in the shadows of the MCG.

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It came as the Brisbane superstar admitted he didn’t think he would be playing in this year’s grand final before his one-match ban was sensationally overturned.

Neale was suspended by the AFL match review officer for striking Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan in the Lions’ thrilling preliminary final victory at the MCG last Saturday.

The club unsuccessfully challenged the ban at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday before taking it to the AFL Appeals Board, who ruled in Neale’s favour on Thursday, just two days out from the grand final.

Riding alongside Lions teammate Ty Gallop in the back of a ute in Friday’s grand final parade, Neale was subjected to a raucous bunch of Dockers fans at most stretches along the parade route as they backed in their WA team.

When asked if he thought his suspension would be upheld, Neale conceded that for “most of the week” he thought he would have to sit out the AFL decider.

“You’re never really sure how these things are going to go, but very happy that it’s gone my way,” he said on Fox.

It’s not the first time there had been a question mark around whether the two-time Brownlow medallist would play in a grand final week, having made a miraculous recovery from a calf injury late in 2025.

The year prior, he dealt with another injury that had plagued him for the back-end of the season.

Neale said his experiences of dealing with availability issues over the past two years had prepared him for the tumultuous week.

“I think for me I’ve sort of dealt with, like you said last year, even the year before I had a bit of a foot issue,” he said.

“These things tend to arise late in the year with injuries, and this one’s obviously a bit different with suspension, but I feel like I’m quick to deal with it and perform tomorrow.”

With Brisbane featuring in the past three AFL deciders, winning the past two, Neale said this was the best his body had felt heading into the winner-takes-all game.

“I actually feel really good,” he said. “It’s probably the best I’ve felt body wise going into a grand final in the four that I’ve played in the last four years. I feel really good in my body and looking forward to it.”

The 33-year-old is set for a blockbuster match-up in the middle with both sides boasting strong engine rooms.

Neale gave credit for his former side’s stacked midfield.

“The depth that they’ve got through there now with Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw, Shai Bolton, Luke Jackson has obviously had an amazing year as well, Hayden Young and then they’ve got Murphy Reid who goes through there as well,” he said.

“They’ve just got depth everywhere, so it’s going to be a great battle, but we feel like we’ve got great depth too.”