Shannon Neale in strong form as Cats continue to shine
The arrival of Jeremy Cameron after the 2020 grand final loss was a signal of intent from the Cats, but drafting Shannon Neale weeks later shaped the future. Now we’re seeing the impact.
The off-season which followed Geelong’s 2020 grand final loss to Richmond can be pinpointed as the moment the Cats’ forward line of the future took shape.
Jeremy Cameron arrived in a massive trade with GWS to provide immediate support to Tom Hawkins.
Then weeks later, Shannon Neale was selected with pick 33 in the national draft as a developing ruck and key forward. Like so many raw talls, the Cats knew they had to be patient with the Western Australian’s development and with Hawkins flying it was a case of perfect timing.
Neale bided his time in the VFL, eventually debuting in 2022 playing five games before the start of 2024. Last year, he surpassed TomaHawk as the man to partner Cameron.
And with Hawkins now retired, Neale has thrived on the responsibility of being the second big man inside forward 50 for the Cats.
While Jezza is rightly getting the plaudits, the quiet development of 23-year-old Neale can’t be undervalued. He already has a career high 31 goals this season including 17 in the last six games.
“We feel with his character, mixed in what he brings in with his football attributes and his athletic attributes, there could be a serious player there in the coming years,” then Geelong talent ID manager Troy Selwood told Cats Media when Neale was drafted.
That serious player is now unfolding in front of our eyes.
Between rounds 15 and 20 this season, Neale has increased his marks to 5.2 from 3.9 per game and has taken 3.2 marks inside 50 each week, a rise of 66 per cent from the first 14 rounds.
He’s becoming more involved more regularly as told by his 6.6 score involvements in games in the same period as compared to 5.1 from Rounds 1 to 14.
Three of the top four picks in that draft were key forwards including Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Western Bulldogs), Riley Thilthorpe (Adelaide) and Logan McDonald (Sydney).
Thilthorpe is the clear standout right now and Neale has every reason to claim being the second best from 2020’s Covid impacted draft.
Ugle-Hagan hasn’t been sighted this year due to personal issues and McDonald can’t get his body right.
Neale has played 19 games and has shown signs the next leap in his development isn’t far away.
Gun midfielder Max Holmes is spoken as one of the steals of 2020 alongside Sydney gun Errol Gulden, who the Cats coincidentally bid on before the Swans matched it on their academy product, before taking Neale.
And as they’ve consistently done, the Cats have landed a player in Neale who would likely be higher up the draft boards if a redraft was to take place.
The thrilling part for Cats’ supporters is Neale has only played 39 AFL games and there’s so much more to come.
Originally published as Shannon Neale in strong form as Cats continue to shine
Hawthorn legend leaves Fox Footy in major shake-up
