2026 Pre-Season Thread

[mpal6]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The club can't avoid this and they will have to take action in some form. Also, a storm like this doesn't cease overnight. This will only get messier - especially if Jules moves back to perth and files for divorce. Not only are the club in disrepute right now, but Lachie's season is as well. There is simply no way he would be able to perform at the highest level with everything that is about to come from this. The negative media attention, his wife leaving him, the likely divorce, his kids probably not being at home with him anymore. I have to also preface this by saying Jules is the real victim in all of this; and i can't imagine how she's feeling right now.

Put him down for a top 3 in brownlow next season. Man needs something else to focus on now and hes likley going to focus on footy - what he's excellent at, all his career

Regardless of his mistakes - Club will provide required support to help him work through this rather than burn him.

 

[Simbatheking21]

Judging from some comments I’ve read in social media pages this will be the downfall of the lions. Mass exodus in coming…. Oh well… it was fun while it lasted

 

[lioninthesand]

I agree the club do not need to take action, nor will it have any overarching impact on our fortunes in 2026.

However, it will 100% be impactful. DD and Fages will be dealing with Lachie and the fallout as we speak.

It will be occupying the playing groups mind, Jules was a bit of a First Lady.

Dimmas situation at Richmond had a huge impact on the club at that time.

For a start, he will step down as skipper, so the leadership structure will change.

Not end of the world, but an impactful story that will inevitably have consequence for the club and those involved.

 

[Happy_Neale]

The club ‘taking action’ would be the worst thing they could do IMO, they should just paint this for what it is - a personal issue affecting one of our players. Provide support to all parties and do not comment publicly

 

[rye]

the club wont acknowledge this publicly and has no reason to

 

[lionraven]

The lions should be offering support to both Lachie and his wife. Support being someone from the welfare space calling to make sure they both have people they can talk to, have support looking after the kids etc. The club doesnt need to do anything else publically. The decision around captaincy is for Lachie to make but you would hope Fages talks to him and see if Lachie wants to fully commit to that role knowing media obligations is part of it. The worst thing the Lions could do is ignore Lachies wife. WAGs talk. The lions are pushing this whole family club culture angle. That messaging and cultural drive would be tarnished if the club completely ignores Jules. Very delicate situation. I do hooe someone at the Lions reaches out to her

 

[Grasshopper17]

The lions should be offering support to both Lachie and his wife. Support being someone from the welfare space calling to make sure they both have people they can talk to, have support looking after the kids etc. The club doesnt need to do anything else publically. The decision around captaincy is for Lachie to make but you would hope Fages talks to him and see if Lachie wants to fully commit to that role knowing media obligations is part of it. The worst thing the Lions could do is ignore Lachies wife. WAGs talk. The lions are pushing this whole family club culture angle. That messaging and cultural drive would be tarnished if the club completely ignores Jules. Very delicate situation. I do hooe someone at the Lions reaches out to her

I wonder how this situation might have unfolded if Andrew Crowell was still at the club.

 

[Viceregal]

If I knew every skeleton, foible, fear, political view, kink, belief, etc of every player would I think differently of them ... is hard to say but what is true is that our response to that knowledge (when it comes out) is based on our own personal makeup (and frequently our own personal weaknesses)

Apparently we know that Lachie cheated and apparently that it was a serial offense on his part ... what we don't know for certain is what made this particular instance different ... was it just one time too many (straw-camel-back), was it not so much that he was involved but who he was with and the betrayal was the girl/girl bond not the husband/wife one, was it teetering until some PR fool publicly posted about issues being worked through and everything went south, is there another man on her side and this is a convenient way to break it off while looking like the good guy, was it a known swinger thing but only acceptable when all four were present and he and the other her were playing in their own sandpit etc ... some may know but it is certainly not me (I knew nothing until it post mentioned in this very thread)

I suspect that it will at least make the transition of Lachie from co-captain to not-captain easier and re the playing group would depend on whether it was an open secret or a bolt from the blue (I imagine that finding out Harris or Lester had cheated would be more of an issue than Dayne or Lachie based on how their core personality was perceived)

I don't know Lachie or Jules or the kids personally and ultimately they are not a part of my life except insofar as Lachie is involved in the Brisbane Lions ... I will feel a level of sympathy/empathy eventually but my emotional responses have been well trained over the years to not commit to 'what happened' until I am sure 'what happened' as the opening salvos are often slanted/tainted/PR/propaganda.

I hope that it works out for the best for all involved and that it doesn't materially effect the playing group and their own personal relationships.

 

[Sherrinator]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The club can't avoid this and they will have to take action in some form. Also, a storm like this doesn't cease overnight. This will only get messier - especially if Jules moves back to perth and files for divorce. Not only are the club in disrepute right now, but Lachie's season is as well. There is simply no way he would be able to perform at the highest level with everything that is about to come from this. The negative media attention, his wife leaving him, the likely divorce, his kids probably not being at home with him anymore. I have to also preface this by saying Jules is the real victim in all of this; and i can't imagine how she's feeling right now.

Please stop commenting about victims. You’ve got no idea about the situation except preconceived biases and you’ve already decided you’re the family court judge and cast judgment.

 

[Squizz89]

The issue is obviously personal and for the respective parties to work through, which in time they will.

The worry I guess from a football side is that Jules seemed a very popular member of the WAGs group. If there is any perceived split and/or “sides” being taken by anyone here then obviously that can filter through to relationships within the playing group.

A distraction we don’t really need as we go for the three peat. I guess, at least there’s time for Fages, DD & Harris to hopefully sort any lingering issues (if any) prior to the start of the season.

 

[Morbidly_Obese]

 

[Warwick]

If true, what a dog act.


You can say it shouldn’t diminish him as a footballer, shouldn’t affect his role, it happens at all professional sporting clubs, blah blah… Whatever, it’s a real low act. Lost a lot of respect personally.

I’d imagine it’ll be his last year here one way or the other - especially if the kids stay in WA. You can think otherwise, but it will be a distraction to him personally, and to the group.

With this, and a couple of others, and Vegas, there are some real disappointing cultural issues with this group.

 

[martinson]

What does this mean for our footy team?

I think Lachie will be looking to a career a la Zorko and can't have the pressure/media interview duties that the Captaincy entails. Get him focused totally on his footy and I'm sure he'll have something to prove . Our job is to keep him near the level for longer that we saw in the GF.

It's time to refresh the leadership group to reflect our next generation of players anyway. Harris is Captain and spiritual leader for some time to come anyway. If a co captain is needed it's obviously Dunkley . He's 2IC if not . Then Hugh.

I'd be getting Fletcher into the leadership group now. Is Rayner up to more responsibility? And definitely looking at Will either in 2026 or 27. If Oscar Allen

4

Oscar Allen

Age

26

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.0

4star

G

1.2

4star

comes back a regular ,consistent player he's another one I'd be looking at. The way Dizz went in the finals I think he's well worth consideration for the next 2 years.

As for the group dynamics /WAGS and other related matters I'm sure Fagan ,Daly and others are well equipped to deal with that and reflect the club and it's culture positively.

As others have said it's terribly sad and disruptive I'm sure for many but our job is to maintain a harmonious club and win games of footy. Neale is a champion and ironically this might be an opportunity from the footy perspective . It's our duty to support his wife and children and see if they can be helped through this.

It's going to be messy in the media for a while , don't let it infiltrate any further.

 

[luthor]

I think one can be deeply saddened by this news (as I am) yet remain non-judgmental.

We are not the Family Law Court

 

[Section 5]

Hopefully we get a good year from Neal in 2026.

It appears that Jules and the children will be living in WA with family support.
Things may get patched up but unlikely at this stage.

If Lachie wants to be near his children, it looks like he will have to make a move to WA, being the easiest access solution.

OOC in 2026 and the Club will have to accept what's offered. So will Neale salary wise.

 

[mighty_lions]

Hopefully we get a good year from Neal in 2026.

It appears that Jules and the children will be living in WA with family support.
Things may get patched up but unlikely at this stage.

If Lachie wants to be near his children, it looks like he will have to make a move to WA, being the easiest access solution.

OOC in 2026 and the Club will have to accept what's offered. So will Neale salary wise.

he is a free agent

 

[Johnny Bananas]

With this, and a couple of others, and Vegas, there are some real disappointing cultural issues with this group.

Personally, I'd be much more disappointed if the scandal was racism or homophobia. It's a low act, yes, but I'm not sure I agree it's a cultural issue. We still have no idea who did what on the Vegas trip, all we can do is speculate. What Lachie does in his private life is confined to him rather than the group.

 

[Happy_Neale]

If true, what a dog act.


You can say it shouldn’t diminish him as a footballer, shouldn’t affect his role, it happens at all professional sporting clubs, blah blah… Whatever, it’s a real low act. Lost a lot of respect personally.

I’d imagine it’ll be his last year here one way or the other - especially if the kids stay in WA. You can think otherwise, but it will be a distraction to him personally, and to the group.

With this, and a couple of others, and Vegas, there are some real disappointing cultural issues with this group.

I think it’s fair to think less of him as a person if the rumors are true but let’s not pretend we are the early 2000’s west coast but with infidelity. Culture does not foster infidelity in marriages - people have affairs in all vocations.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I think it’s fair to think less of him as a person if the rumors are true but let’s not pretend we are the early 2000’s west coast but with infidelity. Culture does not foster infidelity in marriages - people have affairs in all vocations.

My mate's having an affair, guess I better have one too!

 

[Schache_off]

I agree the club do not need to take action, nor will it have any overarching impact on our fortunes in 2026.

However, it will 100% be impactful. DD and Fages will be dealing with Lachie and the fallout as we speak.

It will be occupying the playing groups mind, Jules was a bit of a First Lady.

Dimmas situation at Richmond had a huge impact on the club at that time.

For a start, he will step down as skipper, so the leadership structure will change.

Not end of the world, but an impactful story that will inevitably have consequence for the club and those involved.

Speaking in absolutes here.

I am doubtful Fagan and DD are 'dealing' with Lachie. He is an adult and I don't see how anyone can say he's going to step down when it's just happened.

 

[Elixuh]

I have nothing constructive to add. It’s a personal matter and irrelevant to my support of the Lions. It’s a matter for Lachie and his family to sort out.

However, this made me laugh

 

[morsie]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The club can't avoid this and they will have to take action in some form. Also, a storm like this doesn't cease overnight. This will only get messier - especially if Jules moves back to perth and files for divorce. Not only are the club in disrepute right now, but Lachie's season is as well. There is simply no way he would be able to perform at the highest level with everything that is about to come from this. The negative media attention, his wife leaving him, the likely divorce, his kids probably not being at home with him anymore. I have to also preface this by saying Jules is the real victim in all of this; and i can't imagine how she's feeling right now.

How is the club in disrepute?
Also no divorce application till 12 months separation so end of next year at earliest.

 

[irel]

I think one can be deeply saddened by this news (as I am) yet remain non-judgmental.

We are not the Family Law Court

But on BF some of us tend to slip into the roles of human‑behaviour specialists, moral guardians, and armchair ethicists whenever something confronting arises.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

View attachment 2499023

I had one look at that and thought
Better get a bigger cage

 

[lioninthesand]

Speaking in absolutes here.

I am doubtful Fagan and DD are 'dealing' with Lachie. He is an adult and I don't see how anyone can say he's going to step down when it's just happened.

Mate, it’s a forum, just let people have a chat