The woman linked to the marriage breakdown of AFL star Lachie Neale and his wife Jules has been photographed without her wedding ring, as the personal scandal rocks the Australian football world. Tess Crosley, a social media influencer and former close friend of Jules, was seen on the Gold Coast following Christmas celebrations, notably not wearing her ring.
A Friendship Fractured and a Marriage in Crisis
Tess Crosley has emerged as a central figure in the drama surrounding the Neales, though no allegations of wrongdoing have been confirmed. The two families were once close, socialising together before an apparent split just before Christmas. Reports indicate Jules has returned to her home state of Western Australia with the couple's two children, while Lachie is in South Australia.
Neither Lachie nor Jules has publicly detailed the reasons for their separation. However, Jules Neale posted a poignant message to Instagram, describing feelings of profound hurt. "I want to make it very clear that I am not 'working through' anything," she wrote, countering an earlier report. "I have been betrayed in the most unimaginable way."
Rings Removed and a Sombre Mood
New images show Tess Crosley returning to the Gold Coast with her young child but without her husband, Ben. She was dressed casually, her expression neutral and head slightly lowered. Critically, she was not wearing her wedding ring. This follows Christmas Day posts where she shared bikini-clad photos from a location near Byron Bay, accompanied by the song 'Burn, Burn, Burn' by Zach Bryan. Ben was absent from those images, and comments were disabled.
Meanwhile, Ben Crosley was photographed in Brisbane looking downcast, also appearing to have removed his wedding ring. He was seen leaving a service station carrying energy drinks, dressed entirely in black with sunglasses.
Unraveling a Public and Private Life
The fallout continues online, with Jules unfollowing both her husband and Tess Crosley on Instagram and deleting photos of her marriage. Lachie Neale still follows his wife and has kept their shared images online. A moving truck was spotted at the Neales' Brisbane home last week, signalling a permanent physical separation.
The crisis casts a shadow over Neale's public image. When he won the Brownlow Medal in 2020, he praised Jules as "the most selfless person I know," thanking her for sacrificing her own business in Perth to support his move to Brisbane. The couple, who met in Adelaide, married in 2019 after several years together.
As the scandal dominates headlines, all parties involved have remained silent on the specifics. The absence of wedding rings and the sombre public appearances paint a stark picture of the personal turmoil behind the headlines.
