Lachie Neale, a star for the Lions, talks about “the thing missing” from his already illustrious AFL career.

Despite winning two Brownlow Medals, Lachie Neale, the star of the Brisbane Lions, has stated that his career is far from over.

Neale, who was named the game’s best player in 2023, was a part of the Lions’ agonizing grand final loss by only four points the previous year, and he’s ready to move on.

The thirty-year-old simply wants to wear a premiership medal around his neck.

Neale said on Nine’s Today on Monday, “I feel like a premiership is the thing lacking in my career.”

“I feel like I didn’t have a fantastic finals series myself, losing the grand final by such a slim margin.

“If we can return to the finals this year, I’m fairly motivated to play a little bit better. That’s what drives me the most.”

Even though Neale won his first Brownlow Medal at the age of 27, he realized that his prospects of taking home a flag were getting fewer every year, even if he had won his second one at 30.

“Hopefully I can get one before I finish up, because that’s coming a little bit sooner than I would like,” Neale said.

“It won’t be long and I’ll have to hang up the boots, so hopefully I can get a premiership or two before then.”

Under the direction of coach Chris Fagan, the Lions have advanced to the grand final each year since 2019, missing out on several devastating preliminary final defeats before winning the championship in 2023.

“It was both thrilling and disappointing for us to get this close last year. From here, we think we can only go better,” Neale remarked.

Neale thinks that with the youthful group that was put together five years ago reaching maturity, it’s a great moment to be a Brisbane supporter as well.

“They’ve returned fit and strong, and we have a relatively youthful roster of individuals that are ready to go,” he remarked.

“We feel like we can go that next step if we get things together, improve a little bit and (have) a little bit of luck along the way.

“The boys are excited to get back into it, it feels like it’s come around very quick this year.”

Neale’s off-season has been far from relaxing, but it is just the way the veteran 254-gamer likes it.

In fact, he even got to meet NFL legend Tom Brady during his Australian tour in January, even receiving a pass from the quarterback.

“I was pretty nervous for that actually, more nervous than probably the grand final,” Neale said.

“I thought ‘there’s going to be 2000 people in here that are going to see me drop this or fall on my face’. I was a little bit nervous but managed to hold onto it.”

And it wasn’t just a pass that Neale took away from the experience.

“For me, just his training habits were unbelievable. He treated every training like a game, which is something we talk about, but to hear that from the ‘GOAT’ was special,” he said.

“He wasn’t the most talented player, but ended up being the greatest of all time.”

Brisbane will look to go one step further in 2024. They take on Carlton in a preliminary final rematch in the AFL’s new Opening Round fixture, a week before the traditional round one kicks off.