Neale on his new contract extension

It was a pretty easy decision.

Obviously in the background, my manager works with Mack and the team to get something like that done. It was a pretty easy decision in the end.

It was a great feeling, Geelong has been a second home for me. Ever since I got here, the club has put their arms around me and being from WA, there is always a tie to home.

The way I feel around the club and externally as well, I have really settled in and I am really enjoying my time here. 

Neale on what has made Geelong feel like home

It is pretty well documented that Geelong is about the players. They let their players do things that other clubs might not necessarily might do.

In my early years and even now, they are really comfortable and really allowing me to go home when I need to and when the time is right, of course. Allowing me to explore the opportunities to see friends and family when I might not be feeling great. Again, it was more so in my first few years.

I would like to say that I have matured, but ever since I have been more comfortable being away from Mum and Dad and those people, it is pretty easy.

They work with you rather than holding you to being an employee at this club, they work with you which is something that has really stood out. 

Neale on the forward connection

It is going really well, not much has changed.

We still obviously want to set-up and play the way that we want to play, but it is another year and pre-season of working with Jez, Ollie and Pat.

It is great, we are really open with our communication out on the field, it is getting more comfortable having those conversations.

I want to be a leader in the forward line and being able to talk to those more senior guys, it is something that has become more comfortable for me. It is just time with each other which has been really good. 

Neale on the start to his AFL journey

It has been a pretty patient journey so far, obviously with Hawk and Jez.

I had to wait for my continuous AFL opportunity, but I like to look back and I am actually really proud of myself for being able to put in the work. I still have a long way to go, no doubt but being able to continue to put in the work is important.

The club has faith in me to be able to go to another level, which is really exciting.

It is a bit of a pinch me moment, Mum got pretty emotional when I told her and she was sending me messages throughout the day when I told her.

When it's those moments, my family has been a big part of all this and I always say that I do what I do to make them proud, so it is good to see the emotional side come out when something like this happens. 

Neale on what he wants to work on

It is every area of my game.

I am a big believer that nobody is perfect, I have aspirations to be the best there is in the league.

You see what Josh Tracey, a fellow draftee in my draft class, you see what he is doing and how imposing he looks in the contest. His ruthlessness and his physicality, that is something that I really admire and I think that is an area of my game I want to get to.

I sort of envy him because it is something that comes so naturally to him, but it hasn't come extremely naturally to me. It is something that I am continuing to work on and I love watching him go at it, he is amazing to watch.

But if that is one area that I had to put down for an answer, it is probably that aerial presence and being a bit more physical.