David Mundy backs ‘settled’ Lachie Neale to stay at the Dockers

[Ulquiorra]

FREMANTLE veteran David Mundy remains hopeful Lachie Neale will stay put at the port despite the contracted ball magnet’s interest in a move to Brisbane.

The Lions have launched an audacious bid to lure Neale away from WA, however, the Dockers are adamant they will fight to keep their star midfielder.
Neale’s current contract runs until the end of next season, when he will become a restricted free agent.

Mundy said the 25-year-old remained a key plank in Fremantle’s rebuild.

“I’ve got no doubt that they’re keen, he’s a great footballer, but I know he’s very settled in WA and he’s getting married this off-season to a WA girl,” Mundy told The West Australian at the AFL Players’ Association MVP awards ceremony in Melbourne on Thursday night.

“He’s highly valued at our club and I’d be amazed if he thought otherwise, so we’ll see happens.”

Neale is likely to win a second Doig Medal as Fremantle’s best-and-fairest player this season after narrowly missing out on selection in the final All-Australian team.

He has been a mentor for young Dockers star Andrew Brayshaw and a valuable sounding board for the club’s new wave of emerging talent.

“At 25, he’s almost one of our old guys in the team,” Mundy said.

“He’s got a lot of experience behind him and to make the 40-man All-Australian squad this year was a great testament to how he goes about it.

“It’s the first off-season coming up for him without the surgery, so hopefully there’s big things ahead.”

Mundy, 33, this month signed a new one-year contract to extend his stay at Fremantle into a 15th season.