Neale made the move official on Wednesday morning, informing the club of his intention to join the Magpies. The three-time premiership star had not been offered a new contract at Brisbane in his free agency year, leading to speculation his departure was inevitable rather than a possibility.
Neale has signed a three-year deal with Collingwood worth slightly less than $1 million per season. The decision comes after a tumultuous year for the star midfielder, who endured a very public and acrimonious marriage breakup. Despite his wife and children moving back to Perth, Neale chose not to request a move to a Western Australian club, fearing it would further fuel the media attention surrounding his personal life.
The timing of the announcement, the day after Neale and his teammates were feted at a fan celebration in Brisbane, has added a dramatic element to what was already one of the biggest stories of the AFL off-season.