Former Brisbane Lions superstar Jonathan Brown urges coach Chris Fagan to pick Lachie Neale for grand final

Triple Brisbane premiership hero Jonathan Brown has warned the Lions will suffer an emotional let-down if they don’t take a calculated risk and pick co-captain Lachie Neale for Saturday’s grand final against Geelong.

Neale is pushing to return from a calf injury despite the club originally ruling him out for the season. The dual Brownlow medallist has trained strongly all week and is determined to play.

The Lions have several injury concerns with Jarrod Berry suffering repeated shoulder injuries this season. They didn’t select ruckman Oscar McInerney last year after he had the same problem.

Brown said Berry would be too big a gamble but he feels they must select Neale.

“I think Lachie will play,” Brown said.

“I don’t think you can take the risk on both him and Jarrod Berry. They’ve been rolling the dice in the last few weeks with Jarrod Berry with understanding the likelihood that his shoulder would probably go again, but they had Bruce Reville there as the sub. So a midfielder – like for like. I think they’ll do the same with Lachie Neale.

“He’s been pain-free and he’s trained fully with the group for the last week. He’s the captain of your club. We know what he’s achieved as an individual. I think it would be a let-down for the group if he was right to play and Fages and the coaching staff didn’t pick him.”

Brown will present the premiership cup to the Lions if they win the flag, after being chosen by the club to have that honour. He and Geelong’s presenter, Joel Selwood, were side by side with the cup at the MCG on Thursday morning.

Brown was part of the awesome Brisbane team that claimed a hat trick of flags in 2001, 2002 and 2003, then lost to Port Adelaide in 2004.

Brown is excited by the team’s chances of going back-to-back and said he never thought he’d experience the type of emotion he felt last season when watching Brisbane beat Sydney to win the premiership.

“The feeling on the dais with your mates is unbelievable. But in all honesty, last year was the first time my team won a premiership as a fan. It was almost better,” Brown said.

“It was an unbelievable feeling. I’m so proud of this current group and what they’ve been able to achieve I know my ex-teammates are very proud of this group as well.”