Lachie Neale Shares Heartfelt Family Moments on Instagram After Public Split
Dual Brisbane Lions premiership player Lachie Neale has broken his social media silence, posting a series of sweet selfies with his children just weeks after his very public separation from wife Jules. The Brownlow Medal winner, who had been largely absent from Instagram since the marriage breakdown, shared intimate family moments that have captured public attention.
Neale's Emotional Return to Social Media
On Monday, the Brisbane Lions star posted several photos to his Instagram story featuring his two children. One image shows his one-year-old son Freddie sitting on his father's lap with the caption "mood", as the adorable baby looks sullenly into the camera. Another photograph captures Lachie and Freddie with four-year-old daughter Piper, all three grinning happily for the camera.
A particularly poignant image appears to show Piper on what seems to be her first day of school, marking a significant milestone for the young family. These posts represent Neale's first public social media activity since the couple's separation became public knowledge at the end of last year.
Jules Neale's Move Back to Western Australia
The Neale children are believed to have relocated to Western Australia with their mother Jules following the marriage breakdown. Jules, who was raised in Kalgoorlie, revealed on social media that she had been "betrayed in the most unimaginable way" after rumors circulated about relationship issues between the couple, who had been married since 2018.
In a clear statement, Jules emphasized: "I want to make it very clear that I am not 'working through' anything. All I can do now is to heal and do what's best for my children." She has since posted her own photo with Piper, proudly captioning it "Big girls first day of kindy" with a crying smile emoji.
The Aftermath of the Separation
Lachie Neale confirmed the split during a press conference in early January, stating: "While I won't go into specifics, I can say that I have let my family down and I apologise for my actions that have let down those that are closest to me. For that I am deeply sorry."
The separation reportedly followed allegations that Neale had an affair with Jules' former friend Tess Crosley. In an interview with the Daily Mail while attending the Australian Open last week, Jules expressed that it has been "really nice" to return to her family in Western Australia, adding: "(The kids are) going well, settling straight back into Perth, and it's really good to be back around family."
Football Implications and Social Media Fallout
Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan has previously stated that Lachie, who will be out of contract at the end of the year after moving from the Fremantle Dockers in 2018, has his "blessing" to follow his family to Western Australia at season's end.
The woman at the centre of the marriage breakdown, Tess Crosley, has not posted on her social media channels since mid-January, when she celebrated her 30th birthday in South Australia. Ms Crosley has also removed a post from September featuring herself and husband Ben with the Neales after Lachie's grand final win, following reports that Jules demanded the photos be taken down with the comment: "Take these (photos) down..." before it was later deleted.
These developments continue to unfold as both Lachie and Jules navigate their new family dynamics while in the public eye, with the AFL community watching closely how the situation will affect one of the game's most decorated players.
