AFL player Lachie Neale has stepped down as the captain of the Brisbane Lions, citing a “challenging personal period” amid his strained relationship with his wife, Jules.
The Brisbane Lions revealed Lachie’s departure as co-captain of the team in a statement shared earlier today. “The Brisbane Lions confirm Lachie Neale has made the decision to stand down as Co-Captain, effective as of today,” the club said.
“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,” the statement continued.
While specific details remain unknown, Lachie’s exit as co-captain comes amid a tumultuous period during his marriage.
Jules claimed last month on social media that she was left feeling “betrayed in the most unimaginable way” at around the same time as an alleged falling out she had with her former female friend.
Allegations of a cheating scandal involving Lachie and Jules’ friend grew louder as fans discovered Jules and the woman no longer appeared on each other’s social media feeds, with Jules reportedly wiping images of the former friend from her Instagram profile.
In a message that has since been deleted, Jules reportedly commented on an Instagram picture the woman shared of herself, Jules and Lachie standing in the middle of the MCG after the 2025 grand final, writing: “Take these [pictures] down you idiot, you’re embarrassing yourself”.
Lachie confirmed he and Jules had separated when addressing the media on Friday following news of his stepping down.
“I can confirm that Jules and I have separated. I have let my family down and I apologise for my actions which have hurt those closest to me,” Lachie said, per the ABC.
“I accept that this is a consequence of my actions and I need to rebuild the trust with Jules,” he added.
Lachie stopped short of directly addressing rumours of a betrayal or the former friend’s alleged involvement, saying he “understand[s] the interest in my personal life, but these are personal matters”.
“I understand that I’m a role model and I’ve let the fans of not only Brisbane but the AFL down … I think I’ve addressed what I need to, so I won’t talk about it much more,” he said.
The ABC reports that Lachie walked out of the press conference when questioned further about the state of his marriage.
Though his replacement has not yet been confirmed, fellow players Josh Dunkley and Hugh McCluggage are reportedly being eyed to step up as co-captains with Andrews.
Towards the end of the press conference, Lachie asked for privacy as he, Jules and their two children deal with their separation. “I ask that the privacy of Jules and our children be respected as we work through our new situation and the next chapter of our lives,” he said.
In its own statement, the Brisbane Lions said it had “privately” been working to support both Lachie and Jules “during this difficult time”.
“We do ask that their privacy and that of their children and families is respected at this time,” the club said.
Brisbane Lions’ general manager Danny Daly said the club will commence its process of selecting the team’s 2026 leadership group next month.
Lead images: Getty Images and Instagram
