Lachlan McNeil (born 2 September 2001) is an
Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
er who plays for the
Western Bulldogs in the
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
(AFL). He was recruited by the
Western Bulldogs with the 11th draft pick in the
2020 AFL Rookie draft.
Early football
McNeil played junior football with the South Clare Demons in the
North Eastern Football League, beginning in the under 14s division and playing a total of 47 games over 4 seasons. He played for the Woodville-West Torrens junior divisions in 2019, where he was selected in the South Australia Under 18s state squad in the
2019 AFL Under 18 Championships
The 2019 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships was the 24th edition of the AFL Under-18 Championships.
The tournament was played between five teams— Allies, South Australia, Vic Country, Vic Metro and Western Australia—playing each other acros ...
. He was named as one of the best players for South Australia in Rounds 2 and 5.
During his time with the South Australian team, he played the majority of his time as a ruck-rover. McNeil played all games with Woodville-West Torrens' senior team in the
2020 SANFL season
The 2020 South Australian National Football League season (officially the SANFL Statewide Super League) was the 141st season of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), the highest-level Australian rules football competition in ...
, kicking 6 goals, averaging 18.6 disposals and 2.6 clearances a game.
McNeil was named a s a breakthrough player in the SANFL in April 2020, after his coach
Jade Sheedy
Jade Sheedy (born 18 December 1979) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Sturt Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).
Recruited to Sturt from Mildura club Imperials in 2000, Sheedy was a ...
named him as an impressive player. He played a vital part in their grand final win over , kicking a running goal and collecting 23 disposals, 9 marks and 8 tackles.
AFL career
McNeil debuted for the in the opening round of the
2021 AFL season
The 2021 AFL season was the 125th season of the Australian Football League (AFL), the highest level senior men's Australian rules football competition in Australia, which was known as the Victorian Football League until 1989. The season featu ...
, in their 16-point victory over . On his debut, he kicked a goal and tallied 9 disposals and a mark. It was revealed McNeil signed a two-year contract extension with the team on 16 June 2021, tying him to the club until the end of 2023.
Statistics
: ''Statistics are correct to the end of round 9, 2021.''
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! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
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, 30 , , 9 , , 6 , , 7 , , 46 , , 38 , , 84 , , 14 , , 15 , , 0.7 , , 0.8 , , 5.1 , , 4.2 , , 9.3 , , 1.6 , , 1.7
, - class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3, Career
! 9
! 6
! 7
! 46
! 38
! 84
! 14
! 15
! 0.7
! 0.8
! 5.1
! 4.2
! 9.3
! 1.6
! 1.7
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McNeil, Lachlan
2001 births
Living people
Western Bulldogs players
Sportsmen from South Australia
Australian rules footballers from South Australia
Woodville-West Torrens Football Club players