Dual Brisbane Lions premiership co-captain Lachie Neale has stormed out of a press conference after being asked if he cheated on his wife Jules.
Neale appeared to shake as he confirmed he will quit his leadership role during a press conference in Queensland on Friday.
‘I can confirm with regret Jules and I have now separated,’ Neale told reporters.
‘While I will not go into specifics I can say that I have let my family down and I apologise for my actions which have hurt those closest to me. And for that, I am deeply sorry.
‘I accept this as a consequence of my actions and I need to focus on rebuilding the trust with Jules as a future well being our children remain our number one priority.
‘I understand as a public figure that there is interest in my personal life. However, I do ask the privacy of Jules and my children be respected as we work through our new situation and the next chapter of our lives.’
The conference escalated when a reporter asked Neale: ‘Did you cheat on your wife?’
‘I cannot address those rumours,’ the star midfielder shot back.
Brisbane Lions midfielder Lachie Neale has stepped down as captain
Rumours broke in December that Neale’s marriage was on the rocks, with wife Jules taking to social media to reveal she had been ‘betrayed’
The pair are seen celebrating Neale’s Grand Final win in September
Neale was then questioned over his ability to be a role model to fans.
‘Like I said, I’m extremely disappointed in my actions and the breakdown of my marriage and I take full responsibility for it,’ he said.
‘For me, yeah, it hurts. I understand that I am a role model and I’ve probably let fans, not just at the Brisbane Lions but the AFL down so I accept that responsibility and like I said, I’ve put things in place moving forward to become a better person.’
The 32-year-old said he was ‘extremely disappointed’ in himself as he vowed to put ‘plans and measures in place’ to be the best version of himself.
‘Given the personal matters that I am currently working through, I’ve made the decision to stand down as co-captain and from the leadership group effective immediately,’ he said.
‘Having been a captain and leader of the Lions has been a huge honour but it’s time for the club to move forward with a fresh start.
‘It was a pretty easy decision for me and time to, yeah, move on and let someone else, or Harris [Andrews] do the job by himself.’
Neale’s teammates were told on Friday morning he would be vacating the captaincy.
Jules Neale is seen after announcing her marriage break-up
Tess Crosley was spotted in a skimpy Lycra outfit this week
Crosley was also seen loading a car with belongings
She wore the matching baby pink activewear to take her young son for a walk
The team remain on their AFL-mandated Christmas break and are due to return to pre-season training next week.
The Lions confirmed Neale’s decision in a statement.
‘The Brisbane Lions confirm Lachie Neale has made the decision to stand down as co-captain, effective as of today,’ a club statement read.
‘Neale has shared the role alongside Harris Andrews for the past three seasons – guiding the club to three grand finals and back-to-back premierships.
‘The 32-year-old determined this was the best move for him and the club following a challenging personal period.’
Premiership vice-captains Josh Dunkley and Hugh McCluggage will stay in their roles with Andrews to lead the club as the sole captain.
The bombshell development comes after reports the dual Brownlow medallist’s marriage to influencer and hairdresser Jules Neale, 35, was over.
On December 22, Jules launched a remarkable public attack on former friend Tess Crosley, demanding she remove Instagram photos of the Brisbane Lions’ recent grand final celebrations.
The post in question featured multiple images from Grand Final day and the celebrations following Brisbane’s back-to-back premiership win.
Several photos showed Jules and Lachie on the field and inside the sheds celebrating with friends after the match.
The now-deleted comment, which was captured in screenshots, shows Jules writing: ‘Take these down, you idiot, you’re embarrassing yourself’.
Jules recently revealed the breakdown of her marriage – denying news reports she was ‘working through’ issues with Lachie and instead alleged that she had been ‘betrayed in the most unimaginable way’.
‘I want to make it very clear that I am not ‘working through’ anything,’ she wrote. ‘I have been betrayed in the most unimaginable way.’
There is no suggestion Ms Crosley, who was spotted wearing a skimpy Lycra activewear set on a walk with this week, has done anything improper.
Neale’s 2025 season appeared all but over after hurting his calf in the Lions’ qualifying final loss against Geelong
Neale, who sought a trade from Fremantle to Brisbane at the end of 2018, is one of the most decorated players in the Lions’ history.
In his seven seasons with Brisbane, he has claimed two Brownlow medals (2020, 2023), won four Merrett-Murray medals as the Lions’ best-and-fairest, four All-Australians and starred in two grand final wins.
Neale’s 2025 season appeared all but over after hurting his calf in the Lions’ qualifying final loss against Geelong.
But the star midfielder made a remarkable recovery to prove his fitness and was picked as sub in the Lions’ grand final rematch against the Cats.
Subbed into the grand final at the start of the third quarter, Neale’s influence was pivotal in Brisbane’s barnstorming second-half demolition of Geelong.
Neale had 17 possessions, seven clearances and kicked one crucial goal to help inspire the Lions to a 47-point win.
The 294-game matchwinner is out of contract with the Lions at the end of 2026.
