On Monday night, Neale upset pre-count favourites Nick Daicos and Marcus Bontempelli to become a two-time winner of the game's most prestigious individual honour.
But the 30-year-old ball-magnet immediately switched the Lions' focus to Saturday's grand final against Collingwood.
"The next day he addressed the group and said, 'it's not about me this week, boys, it's about us'," fellow Lions midfielder Josh Dunkley said.
"(He said), 'why not have a crack at it, it's the best opportunity for it'.
"He's obviously had an outstanding year and we're pumped for him that he's got that award, but he wants to celebrate something as a group.
"That's what we're looking forward to doing."
Neale is a three-time All-Australian, five-time club best-and-fairest and a winner of both the AFL coaches' and players' associations player-of-the-year awards.
But for all his individual accolades, the 245-game veteran is still without a premiership.
Neale's only previous grand final appearance was as a substitute for Fremantle in their 2013 defeat to Hawthorn.
"Winning two Brownlow medals and being in the position that he's in, he's still never got ahead of himself," Dunkley said.
"He's always doing the hard yards and doing the little things behind the scenes that make him such a great player.
"He's had a great year, he's had a great career and he's always stood up in those big games.
"We're really looking forward to him playing his best footy tomorrow, and the rest of the group too."
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