Another high-profile relationship within the Brisbane Lions football club has come to an end, with star midfielder Will Ashcroft and his partner Summer Finn parting ways. The split adds to a series of personal challenges facing the reigning AFL premiers during what has become a turbulent off-season.
Social Media Clues Confirm Separation
The breakdown of Ashcroft and Finn's relationship became apparent through a series of pointed social media posts from Finn over recent weeks. In one particularly telling TikTok video uploaded five days ago, Finn filmed herself singing along to Taylor Swift's We Are Never Getting Back Together, captioning the post: 'Lowkey loving subtle shade a bit too much… #remake.'
Earlier social media activity included a post shared a week prior that stated: '2026 ins: cutting off people who dull your spark,' followed by the line, 'More peaceful on the other side.' On Monday, Finn uploaded a series of photographs to Instagram with the caption: 'Happiness suits me better.' When a follower inquired directly, 'Where's Will?' she responded bluntly: 'On his high horse.'
Relationship Timeline and Recent Celebrations
The separation comes just months after Finn celebrated alongside the Ashcroft family following Brisbane's back-to-back premiership triumphs in 2025. She attended the club's Brownlow Medal function with Ashcroft in Brisbane and sat with family members at the Grand Final, later posting that it had been 'a pretty incredible past six months.' The couple also holidayed together on Hamilton Island in November.
Despite the split, Finn remains connected to Ashcroft's inner circle, continuing to follow his sister Lucy and Meka Norton-Smith, the partner of Will's brother Levi, who also plays for the Lions. However, she has unfollowed Ashcroft on her public Instagram account, though maintains a private follow.
Adding to Club's Relationship Challenges
This latest breakup contributes to what has become a difficult period for the Brisbane Lions regarding players' personal lives. The club is already navigating the highly publicised separation of star player Lachie Neale from his wife Julie after eight years of marriage.
Neale, 32, broke his social media silence earlier this week by posting a selfie with his children Piper and Freddie while travelling between Brisbane and Western Australia. In announcing the separation last month, the dual Brownlow medallist issued a public apology, 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 who are closest to me. And for that I am deeply sorry.'
Julie Neale has since returned to Western Australia and has spoken openly about feeling 'betrayed in the most unimaginable way,' while sharing glimpses of her reset away from Brisbane.
Further Relationship Strains Within the Club
The Lions have also recently dealt with the separation of defender Jack Payne and Bronte Dagg, who revealed their eight-month relationship ended following what she described as 'a profoundly disloyal incident.' These consecutive personal headlines have created significant off-field attention for the club during what should be preparation for their premiership defence.
Club Response and Season Preparation
Despite the mounting personal challenges facing several players, coach Chris Fagan has repeatedly backed the club's culture, insisting the situations have not derailed preparations for the 2026 AFL season. 'It hasn't really affected things too much,' Fagan said this week. 'It's not like we sit around having meetings with the players and talk about it.'
Ashcroft, 21, remains one of the brightest talents in Australian rules football, already a dual premiership player and back-to-back Norm Smith medallist. He and his brother Levi both arrived at the Lions via the father-son rule, following in the footsteps of their father Marcus, a three-time premiership winner and club legend.
The Brisbane Lions will open their premiership defence against the Western Bulldogs on March 7, with the club hoping to channel any off-field distractions into on-field success as they pursue a historic third consecutive premiership.
