The recruitment of Colin Sylvia and Scott Gumbleton as well as the return to fitness of Clancee Pearce and Garrick Ibbotson means there is a squeeze for places in the Fremantle line-up.
"It is intense at training at the moment," Neale said.
"There's a lot of pressure on spots, as you can probably tell with the list and where it is at the moment.
The 20-year-old knows better than most how difficult a side it is to break into.
After playing 11 matches in his debut season in 2012, the South Australian found life significantly hard in his second year. Neale played in rounds four and five but then found himself on the outer for the next eleven weeks, which prompted a frank discussion with coach Ross Lyon.
"It was just sort of sitting down with him and looking at where I was heading last year and what I wanted to achieve," Neale said.
"To be honest, I can't actually tell you how I got into the side. It might have been an injury. From there I was lucky enough to stay in."
It seems unlikely that luck had much to do with it. After being selected for round 17 against Richmond, Neale produced a spectacular burst of form.
He averaged 26 disposals over the next six weeks and ended up playing in all three finals for Fremantle, including the Grand Final as the substitute.
Neale says he learnt how hard he had to work to be a regular player at AFL level.
"Especially defensively," he said.
"That's something that as a kid I was not very good at.
"I’ve always been able to get my hands on the footy but it was about working hard without it and also improving my tackling and things like that."
In a side full of midfield giants, Neale's 176cm, 81kg frame puts him at odds with the typical big-bodied footballer, but he feels his diversity adds value to the side.
"Obviously we do have those bigger mids," Neale said.
"I think it's important with teams these days to have a balanced midfield.
"There are obviously a few guys that can play that role here."
The Dockers are building towards an intra-club scratch match on February 11 before their first NAB Challenge match against West Coast the following week.
