A bizarre theory has been seized upon by AFL fans trying to justify Lachie Neale’s marriage breakdown allegedly involving his wife’s close friend.
The speculation has gained traction online as supporters attempt to rationalise the personal scandal engulfing the Brisbane Lions captain.
Neale and his wife Jules have separated, with Jules publicly describing herself as feeling deeply betrayed.
Both Jules’s former close friend Tess Crosley and her husband Ben have been photographed without their wedding rings.
Neither Neale nor those reportedly involved have confirmed what specifically occurred.
Now, some footy fans have come forward with the claim Neale’s behaviour can be traced back to how he was treated during the early days of his relationship with Jules.
Lachie and his wife Jules Neale pictured with Tess and Ben Crosley in happier times before the alleged affair became public
Tess and Jules were close friends but have now unfollowed each other on social media
Ben and Lachie were also good friends, but Ben has surfaced without his wedding ring while Lachie is reportedly back home in South Australia
According to the narrative being shared, the couple’s courtship left a lasting impression on the future Brownlow medallist.
Neale and Jules first met in a nightclub when he was just 18 years old and she was 21.
At the time, Neale was still an emerging footballer with little public profile.
Jules later admitted she was not interested at all when they first crossed paths.
‘The first time I met Jules I was 18 and I asked Pav [former Fremantle star Matthew Pavlich] to introduce me to her,’ Neale told Perth Now in 2019.
‘He came back and said, “She’s not interested in an 18-year-old Harry Styles-looking kid”.’
Neale was persistent, though, and the pair continued to see each other intermittently before eventually forming a serious relationship.
They went on to marry in Perth in 2018, six years after that infamous One Direction snub.
Tess posted a series of bikini-clad photos enjoying time with friends on Christmas Day in northern NSW
She was then spotted back in her home town of the Gold Coast not appearing to be wearing her wedding ring
A downcast Ben Crosley was spotted in Brisbane leaving a local service station, also not appearing to be wearing his wedding ring
Online commentators have now speculated that Neale never forgot that early rejection.
‘Looks like he didn’t forget all the times the wifey knocked him back before settling when he had a high enough profile,’ one posted.
‘Mate 100% not many people know this,’ another replied.
Neither Neale nor Jules has ever indicated that their early dating history caused tension.
Despite this, the idea has been eagerly embraced by parts of the footy community.
Neale himself previously spoke glowingly about his wife and her support. In 2020, he publicly praised Jules after winning the Brownlow Medal.
‘She always puts me ahead of herself when she shouldn’t have to,’ he said in 2020.
‘She’s the most selfless person I know and my biggest support.’
Jules made a single public statement saying she had been ‘betrayed’ while Lachie is yet to make comment
Their relationship faced a major test when Neale requested a trade from Fremantle to Brisbane. The couple relocated from Perth to Queensland in 2019 following the move.
‘It was a lot of work to build that business up and it was a big thing to leave behind,’ she said in 2020.
‘I kind of knew (Brisbane) was the right move for Lachie and footy and it was a decision I decided to make myself. He didn’t pressure me. He said ‘We’ll stay here’. He felt Perth was home. He said ‘It is completely up to you’.
The couple went on to build a life in Brisbane and start a family. They share two young children together.
It has been reported that Jules and the children have returned to Western Australia, while Lachie is spending time his home town of Robe in South Australia.
Tess Crosley posted bikini-clad Christmas photos from near Byron Bay, which drew significant attention and were notable for her not wearing her wedding ring.
She was recently seen back on the Gold Coast, again without her wedding ring, as public interest in her movements continues.
Ben Crosley was recently photographed in Brisbane looking downcast as he was leaving a service station with energy drinks and water, and also appeared to be without his wedding ring.
He has largely remained out of the spotlight while the situation continues to unfold.
There have been no public statements from the Crosleys, who were close friends of the Neales before the scandal broke.
