It is now written into footy folklore that Lachie Neale is a three-time premiership player but, as we all know, it almost didn’t happen with Neale receiving an AFL ban (for striking Jack Ginnivan in the preliminary final) ahead of Brisbane’s epic grand final victory.
Neale — who has since joined the Magpies — was suspended by the match review officer after the preliminary final, and the suspension was upheld at the AFL tribunal following a marathon hearing.
Brisbane appealed that decision, the ban was downgraded and the rest is history ... and now, a month later, Neale has revealed he has bought Ginnivan a gift for his helping hand during the controversial tribunal session.
Neale was contacted by the podcast Footy And Friends on Friday, where Ginnivan was already a guest.
And he was immediately asked by host Tom Sheridan, “what present have you got Ginni for getting you off (and into) the granny to make you a three-timer?”
While the question was tongue in cheek, Neale revealed that he had actually bought Ginnivan an exclusive bottle of pinot noir.
In fact, it was not just any pinot, it was indeed the Will Ashcroft Mr September pinot, a limited release, valued at $45 a bottle (which could only be bought in packs of six or 12) and is now sold out.
“I got him a bottle of the Prince’s (Ashcroft’s nickname) Mr September pinot noir,” Neale admitted, much to the shock of Sheridan.
“Did he actually?” Sheridan said, with Ginnivan confirming the present.
“Yeah, he got me a pinot noir .... could have gone a bit higher than that,” Ginnivan said.
Speaking like a true sommelier, Neale added: “It’s fresh out of the barrel so you have to let it sit for a bit but it should be beautiful in about six months.”
Sheridan: “You can swirl that together in Melbourne now that you’re at the Pies.”
At the tribunal, Neale used Ginnivan as part of his testimony, saying he had spoken to the 23-year-old who had confirmed that the contact was “more of a body check” rather than a swinging arm.
Neale also told the tribunal that he thought Ginnivan took “a bit of a dive” at the time.
However, not long after the grand final, Ginnivan did in fact admit that Neale had hit him “behind the play” with a swinging arm.
“It’s obviously probably blown up a bit,” Ginnivan said on the Ball Magnets podcast.
“(He) obviously hit me behind the play, and I wasn’t really expecting it. And then the week obviously played out. You never really want to see someone miss a grand final, I think, for something something like that.
“It was a pretty topical thing, but at the end of the day, I’d rather him play than not because, yeah, imagine missing a grand final for a bit of a hit behind the ball.
“I was glad to see him win his third flag.”