MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 03: Collingwood fans are seen during the 2022 AFL First Qualifying Final match between the Geelong Cats and the Collingwood Magpies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 3, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Fans’ incredible response when their favourite Lions player receives a yearly accolade is “can’t be real.”
Saying that Lachie Neale will be on the cover of the annual AFL Record Season Guide book wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy.
The 2023 Brownlow Medallist from Brisbane was a bit of a controversial but nonetheless worthy winner, receiving 31 votes over the Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli (29) and Collingwood’s Nick Daicos (28), who missed the final three games of the season.
As usual, though, he was awarded the top individual honour in the AFL and went on to become the face of the annual statistics bible, which is consulted by pundits and specialists all season long and contains years’ worth of data.
Apparently, though, no one informed Collingwood supporters of this.
Upon the announcement of the book’s pre-order availability, the AFL Record was inundated with angry comments from Magpies supporters, who questioned the inclusion of a player from the team they defeated in the Grand Final.
“Who took home the flag? doubt many will sell (emoji of crying and laughing),” a Magpies supporter commented.
“Runners up edition: When does the premiership edition come out?” jokingly asked someone else.
Another added, “Poor form.” Not worth fifty bucks, for sure. You truly didn’t give this much thought.
But according to a fourth, “the Brownlow medallist has always been the one.” Being around some Pies fans makes me feel ashamed, far out!
Despite losing the Grand Final the year before, Nathan Buckley of Collingwood was featured on the cover of the 2004 edition, as AAP journalist Oliver Caffrey pointed out.
Similarly, Dane Swan of Collingwood was featured on the book cover in 2012, following his team’s defeat by Geelong in the previous Grand Final.
This is, of course, since both men were Brownlow Medal winners the previous season.
“This thread’s comments can’t be real,” Caffrey enquired.
Hey, a one-eyed admirer is always worth counting out.
