Geelong forward Shannon Neale has revealed how he worked through the anxiety that followed last year’s AFL grand-final defeat, changing his mindset ahead of another demanding finals campaign.
The 203cm forward said he had learned to stop dwelling on the reputation of opponents and instead concentrate on executing his own role for the Cats.
Neale’s shift was tested in a qualifying-final meeting with Brisbane defender Harris Andrews, one of the competition’s most accomplished intercept markers. After feeling he had struggled against Andrews in an earlier match, Neale said he made a conscious effort not to allow those thoughts to dictate his performance.
“In the Qualifying Final, I tried not to get too anxious about it and not overthink that he has got the better of me, all those thoughts that you can have naturally as a young player,” Neale said.
“I think I flipped the script a bit, I am excited to play on those big names.”
Neale had previously admitted to being disappointed with his display against Andrews during the season, believing he had not done enough to help his team. Rather than focusing on preventing the Brisbane defender from influencing the contest, he resolved to play more instinctively.
“I got rid of a defence mindset on him and just tried to play my own game,” Neale said.
The approach brought greater confidence as Geelong secured its place in the premiership decider. Neale’s battle with Andrews remained a significant tactical contest, but the young forward said he had become better equipped to handle the pressure surrounding high-profile finals match-ups.
His progress has come after a gradual rise at Geelong. Neale spent his first three years developing in the Victorian Football League before establishing himself in the senior side, and has increasingly been viewed as a key figure in the Cats’ forward line.
He also spent part of Geelong’s 2022 premiership campaign watching from the stands, making his later emergence as a regular AFL forward a markedly different experience.
Neale said maintaining familiar routines away from football had also helped him remain settled during the build-up to finals, allowing him to treat the biggest games with the same preparation as any other match.
His focus, he said, was no longer on the fear of failing on the biggest stage but on trusting the work that had taken him there.
