The excitement around the Brisbane Lions’ upcoming premiership defense has taken a poignant turn with a recent glimpse into star player Lachie Neale’s life. Neale shared a rare behind-the-scenes photo, revealing more than just his dedication to preparing for the AFL season opener against the Western Bulldogs on March 7.

The image, capturing Neale’s intense focus in the weights room, subtly hints at personal challenges beneath his professional facade. Observant fans have noted the absence of his wedding ring, a silent testament to the personal upheaval he has faced following the end of his marriage during the AFL off-season.

In the wake of their separation, his former partner made a clear statement by removing Neale from her social media accounts and severing ties with both him and the woman associated with the controversy. This move dispelled any notion of a discreet reconciliation attempt.

Meanwhile, Jules has relocated to Perth with their two children, Piper and Freddie, marking a new chapter for the family. The couple’s Brisbane residence is now listed for auction, further underscoring the finality of this significant life change.

Neale, addressing the situation in early January, confirmed the separation and expressed remorse for not upholding his familial commitments. In light of these events, he also made the difficult decision to step down from his co-captaincy role with the Brisbane Lions, choosing to focus on navigating the personal repercussions.

Neale posted this image in the gym, tagging the Brisbane Lions, as he prepares for the upcoming AFL season

Neale separated from his wife Jules in the off-season with his estranged wife moving back to Perth

In early January, Lachie confirmed the couple had separated, publicly apologised for letting his family down and subsequently stepped down from his co-captaincy at the Brisbane Lions as he dealt with the fallout. 

Jules later relocated to Perth with their two young children, focusing on family life and sharing messages about resilience and new beginnings. 

Raised in South Australia, Neale relocated to Perth after being drafted by Fremantle, where he spent seven seasons and met Jules. 

However Lachie says he remains fully committed to the Brisbane Lions for the 2026 season despite speculation about a potential return to Western Australia. 

‘I haven’t really considered that yet,’ Neale said in January when asked if he might consider a move to Western Australia in 2027.

‘My decision was always going to be put on hold with my contracts regardless, so we’ll work that out in the next six months.

‘We’ve got a bit of time.

‘I’m going to be here (in Brisbane) this season coming up.

Neale travelled to Perth to spend time with his children Piper and Freddie recently

The Brisbane Lions are back-to-back AFL champions and will be looking to defend the premiership again starting March 7 against the Western Bulldogs

‘Fully committed to putting everything I can into footy, getting into training.’

Neale recently took time to travel to Perth to see his children, including daughter Piper who started her first day of school.

Jules released a series of photos on Instagram captioned ‘that’s some lemonade’  detailing her healing journey. 

In a telling gesture, she included footage of Lachie spending time with their children, suggesting a focus on co-parenting despite the split. 

Meanwhile Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has said Neale is enjoying his best pre-season in years despite dealing with significant personal issues. 

‘To Lachie’s credit, in terms of the way that he’s training and going about things, he’s having his best pre-season in a long while,’ Fagan said.

‘Normally, he’s finished seasons quite injured and been in rehab, but this year he had no injury at the finish.

‘He’s been able to train fully and in the best shape he’s been in for ages in terms of setting himself up for a good football season.

‘He’s in a good place at the moment, obviously got a bit going on personally, but he seems to be coping with that pretty well.’