Neale needs just eight possessions against Geelong at the Gabba tomorrow night to become the 149^th player in League history to reach 5000 possessions since the League start keeping records in 1965.

Barring the unexpected, he will reach this mark in his 187^th game – quicker than everyone in the last 56 years except 1986-94 Brownlow Medallist Greg Williams, who was 178 games to 5000 possessions at Geelong, Sydney and Carlton, and Adam Treloar, who took 179 games playing with GWS, Collingwood and this year the Western Bulldogs.

To further underline the enormity of the 2020 Brownlow Medallist’s achievement, he has played through two period of reduced game time.

In his first 24 games at Fremantle, when the AFL employed a ‘substitute’ player who wore the dreaded green vest sitting on the bench until he was called into the game, he was the standby player seven times and averaged only 33 percent game time.

This included the 2013 grand final against Hawthorn, when we played only 20 percent of time.

Also, last year all games were played over game time reduced by 20 percent due to Covid.

There is a strong Lions flavor to the top 10 on this illustrious group of ball magnets.

Fitzroy champion Garry Wilson took 190 games to 5000 possessions to rank fifth, two games behind games behind St.Kilda dual Brownlow Medallist Robert Harvey, who is the game’s leading possession-winner all-time and will take over as Collingwood interim coach this weekend.

And Tom Rockliff, who played his first nine seasons in Brisbane before heading to Port Adelaide, is equal eighth with West Coast Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis and ex-Collingwood captain Wayne Richardson. They were 192 games to 5000 possessions.

Completing the top 10 at 191 games are Sydney’s Josh Kennedy and Collingwood Brownlow Medallist Dane Swan.

Interestingly, among the 149 players who have topped 5000 possessions Williams was quickest to each major milestone. He was 35 games to 1000, 71 games to 2000, 105 games to 3000 and 140 games to 4000.

Neale, equal 34^th among this group to 1000 possessions at 51 games, was equal seventh to 2000 (84 games), equal fifth to 3000 and third behind Williams and Treloar to 4000.

Full details for the 10 players who have been quickest to 5000 AFL possessions, assuming Neale reaches this mark in Round 15 are:-

A total of 20 players who played with Brisbane and Fitzroy, including those who also played elsewhere, are members of the AFL 5000 Club.

Simon Black is the all-time Brisbane leading possession-winner and 13^th among recorded AFL statistics overall. He is just nine possessions behind 12th-ranked Hawthorn champion turned Brisbane recruit and part-time coach Luke Hodge.

Grant Birchall is also closing in on a huge career milestone – he needs 70 possession to become the join a list of 71 players all-time to reach 6000.

Full details of all ball magnets with a playing connection to the Lions, listed in order of their career possessions total, are:-