Brisbane superstar Lachie Neale has another suitor waiting at his door, with West Coast emerging as a possible landing spot for the out-of-contract midfielder at the end of the season.
Victorian powerhouse Collingwood has been the favourite to land the two-time Brownlow Medallist's signature in recent months as the Pies look to pair Neale and generational star Nick Daicos in the same engine room.
However, Herald Sun reported on Friday that the Eagles are making a late season play for the two-time premiership gun.
Neale had not been willing to deal with West Coast previously as he looks to remain in a competitive side in the twilight of his career, but given the Eagles' rise in output in 2026 and the undeniable young talent that is growing out west, the Lions midfielder is reported to be considering a move back to Perth.
Another motivating factor is that his former wife Jules (from Perth) and his children moved back to Western Australia over the summer after the couple's highly publicised split.
While Collingwood is offering to accommodate Neale and his family to give them plenty of support if he were to sign with the Pies and move to Melbourne, the Eagles are offering a closer to home option.
The Eagles' financial offer to Neale is not yet clear, while the Pies are offering the star midfielder a three-year multi-million dollar contract.
Neale spent seven years in Perth after he was drafted to Fremantle with Pick 58 in the 2011 National Draft. He then left in a trade to Brisbane at the end of 2018.
