Mitch Clark had played as the Demons' sole big man in attack for much of the season, and Neeld needed another solution to the Demons' forward line woes.
When Neeld realised 191cm, 90kg defender Colin Garland was drafted as a forward when he was picked up with selection No.46 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft, he realised he had his answer.
Despite the loss of defender James Frawley in the lead-up to the game, Neeld deployed the 24-year-old Tasmanian to the forward line. In a supporting role to Clark, Garland drew Essendon backman Tayte Pears.
"Clark needed some help, pretty much," Neeld said.
"We looked over the past nine weeks, Mitch has almost been our lone forward in terms of kicking goals and taking marks.
"We needed someone to go there."
Garland's kicking let him down as the Dees made a strong start at the MCG, taking a surprise six-point lead at half time.
"I was thinking, 'I'm kicking like a backman'," Garland told AFL.com.au.
That was understandable. Before Saturday, Garland had kicked just four AFL goals despite his promise as a forward when a youngster.
He kicked 10 goals for North Hobart in just his fifth senior game, and in the under-18s shared a forward line with Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt.
"He was always telling me to keep out of his space," Garland said.
"Probably since my first year when I got drafted, I've spent five years in the back line but when you spend that much time down there and you get told to play in the forward line, you just let it all hang out.
"[Neeld] came to me earlier in the week and said, 'I just want you to give us a contest', compete in the air and on the ground, and that's all he wanted from me, so it was pretty simple."
In the last quarter, Neeld's plan finally came together.
Garland took two contested marks and had four shots at goal. The first of his two goals put the Demons in front. His two behinds were the final two scores of the game; leaving Garland and Demon fans to chew their knuckles as the clock wound down.
"I was just praying we didn't go down by a couple of points," Garland said.
"I'll be definitely seeking out Leigh Brown this week and getting some goal kicking practice."
Garland isn't sure whether Demon fans can expect to see him line up in the forward line against Collingwood next week.
But having developed a taste for goals, he's hoping Neeld persists with the plan.
"The backline played pretty well today so I might not be able to get back in there anyway, especially with [James] Frawley coming back," he said.
"It was great [kicking goals]. I haven't kicked many in my career."
Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.
