There is a growing suspicion that two-time Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale will start as Brisbane’s sub for the AFL grand final on Saturday.

Neale has been selected in the Lions’ 23 and will take the field against Geelong, just 22 days after limping off the ground with a torn calf in Brisbane’s qualifying final loss to the Cats on September 5.

The superstar midfielder was ruled out for the rest of the season by the Lions, who initially diagnosed it as a 4-6 week injury.

But the 32-year-old spent hours per day in a hyperbaric chamber and recovered much quicker than Brisbane expected him to. After completing more than a week of full intensive training, he was given the green light to play.

Neale was named in the centre for the Lions, but the two sides don’t have to announce their sta

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