Hugh McCluggage Biography

Hugh McCluggage turns his back on interest from rival to clubs and signs a seven-year deal with the Lions.

"Clubs invest so much in players from a young age, especially Brisbane when everyone moves away from home or away from Victoria or wherever it may be," McCluggage said.

"It's not just the people within the club, but outside the club - fans, supporters - who make you feel at home. I feel like you owe it to the club and the people to repay that faith and hopefully I can be that mentor for our young boys in the future."

Lachie Neale joins Brisbane royalty after winning his third Merrett-Murray Medal as the Lions' best and fairest for season 2022.

Neale (66 votes) won the best and fairest count in front of a packed crowd at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from fellow midfielder Hugh McCluggage (59) and under-rated defender Brandon Starcevich (51).

Hugh McCluggage signs a new deal with Brisbane to remain at the club until the end of 2024.

The extension will take McCluggage through to eight seasons at the Lions when he will qualify for free agency.

Lachie Neale wins the Merrett-Murray Medal as Brisbane's best and fairest for the 2020 AFL season.

Neale tallied 305 votes to finish in front of Jarryd Lyons (269) and Hugh McCluggage (237).

Hugh McCluggage makes use of the 2020 AFL season suspension (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) by helping on his family's dairy farm during a busy time of the year.

"We knocked a few trees over and made a few loads for the wood fire in the house. That usually happens this time of the year when we cut all the wood and stack the tanks full," he said.

"We've been doing a bit of that, and karting a bit of water around. And then there's a bit of milking that happens as well. If any of the workers can't get there we'll pop over and help out as well.

"Dad's calving at the moment so all the cows are having their babies, so there's a lot to be done there. You have to get them in and look after the babies when they have them, feed a lot of cows around the dairy with grain, and all that sort of thing. It's flat out. There's always something for us to do."

Lachie Neale wins the Merrett-Murray Medal as Brisbane's club champion for 2019.

Neale led the count the entire evening and finished with 386 votes to defeat captain Dayne Zorko (348 votes), while Hugh McCluggage (322) was third.

Neale played in all 24 games, averaged 31 disposals and led the League in total clearances and contested possessions.

So far in 2019, Hugh McCluggage has averaged 22 touches from 13 games, and most impressively kicked 15 goals, making him one of just 10 players in the competition to average 20 touches and a goal a game.

"The last couple of years I've had the shots, but I haven't been kicking them. Obviously, I've had a few more this year but it comes with, one, the ability to get to more contests, and two, the ability to finish off my work," he said.

"You get to know when you can sniff out an opportunity and also you earn the trust of your teammates. The first couple of years I was trying to earn that and this year the boys give it to me a little more, which is nice."

Hugh McCluggage has taken his game to a new level in 2019, averaging 22 disposals and kicking 11 goals through eight rounds.

"What he's turned into in such a short amount of time, the roles he can play … he's got the inside-outside balance," Brisbane teammate and veteran AFL player Luke Hodge said.

"When I finish playing footy he's one of those players I'll sit back every week and go, "Jeez, I love watching him play"."

Hugh McCluggage signs a three-year contract extension with Brisbane to remain at the club until the end of 2021.

"I'm really excited to stay here for another three years and see what we can do," McCluggage said.

"I like where the club is heading and the direction we are heading in."

Hugh McCluggage earns the 2017 round 14 NAB AFL Rising Star nomination after tallying 19 disposals, eight marks and nine score involvements against GWS.

McCluggage says the Lions are heading in the right direction and is strongly considering his contract beyond 2018.

"The list goes on, so it's definitely something I'm looking at. I'm loving the lifestyle up here and the direction the club's heading in and I couldn’t be happier," he said.

"But I'm enjoying just going out and playing footy – for this year, anyway."

Hugh McCluggage makes his AFL debut for Brisbane at Docklands Stadium with 13 disposals (9 kicks and 4 handballs), 4 marks and 2 tackles in a 31-point loss to St Kilda.

Hugh McCluggage is ruled out for up to a month with an ankle injury sustained during Brisbane's JLT Community Series win over the Western Bulldogs.

"We had scans done and it's a bit more damage than we first though," Lions head of medical Peter Blanch said.

"Hugh's going to be out for probably three or four weeks."

Brisbane draftee Hugh McCluggage says he is determined to help the struggling Lions from the doldrums back towards the finals.

"We're going to be starting from the bottom, but hopefully we can all come together and build up and make our way back to the top of the standings," McCluggage said.

"It is a good feeling around here for what I've seen in the last few days."

Brisbane select Hugh McCluggage with pick No.3 in the 2016 National Draft.

Hugh McCluggage admits he is still pinching himself at the prospect of being the highest-selected player in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft.

"It's a bit of a shock and it's happened really quickly," McCluggage said.

"At the start of the year I was just hoping to play consistent footy for North Ballarat and then I was lucky enough to get into the Vic (Country) side… so I just tried to play as well as I could for every team that I played for."

Brisbane Lions list manager Peter Schwab said he would be ecstatic if McCluggage were to slip through to the club's pick (No.2 overall) in the draft.

"He's a talented player. He can play in the midfield, can go forward and kick goals and is a nicely balanced player," Schwab said of McCluggage.

"He just knows how to play. The first thing you look at, with any game of football, is what’s the talent (level)? He’s a high-end talent. He certainly possesses that aspect."

Potential No.1 draft pick Hugh McCluggage has capped his brilliant season by winning the TAC Cup's Morrish Medal.

The classy midfielder became the first North Ballarat Rebels player to win the award after polling 16 votes from 10 games this season.