Lachie Neale has walked off from a press conference after dropping the news he and wife Jules have separated.
Neale’s teammates were reportedly shocked when told earlier on Friday morning that the dual Brownlow medallist has stepped down from his position as co-captain of the Brisbane Lions.
The Lions for the first time addressed the private matter on Friday – almost two weeks after Neale’s wife Jules first went public in saying she had been “betrayed” in an unimaginable way.
The club said in a statement the star footballer was dealing with a “challenging personal period”.
When Neale fronted a press conference on Friday afternoon, he made an apology in announcing he and wife Jules have separated.
“I understand the interest in my personal life, but these are personal matters and I won’t be answering any questions on that topic today,” he said.
“I can confirm though with regret that Jules and I have now separated.
“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 done those that are closest to me. And for that I am deeply sorry.
“I accept the consequences of my actions, and I need to focus on rebuilding that trust with Jules as the future wellbeing of our children remain our No. 1 priority.”
When asked bluntly if he had cheated on his wife, Neale responded: “No I can’t address those rumours”.
He answered another question by saying he has “regrets” about his personal life.
When asked if he is hoping to fix his marriage, Neale walked off by saying, “I won’t comment on that, thank you”.
He looked briefly overcome with emotion when explaining his decision to step down as captain.
“I’m extremely disappointed in myself and I’ve put plans in place to do the work on myself so I can be the best version of myself moving forward,” he said.
“Given the personal matters that I am currently working through I have made the decision to stand down as co-captain and from the leadership group effective immediately.
“Being the captain of the Lions has been a huge honour, but it’s time to move forward with a fresh start. I spoke through this with the club over the last week or two and it was a pretty easy decision for me.
“Time to move on and let someone else or Harris (Andrews) do the job by himself.”
He said the decision was “100 per cent” his and that he had not been pressured to give up the position.
He said he spoke with Lions coach Chris Fagan and Lions football boss Danny Daly before making the call.
Neale also made another eyebrow-raising comment during the press conference when he failed to guarantee his future with the Lions beyond this season.
His contract with Brisbane expires at the end of the 2026 season and speculation is already swirling he may look to return to Western Australia.
It comes after Jules fell out with former friend Tess Crosley recently. She has wiped Crosley and her husband from her Instagram pages.
Jules commented on a recent Instagram post of Crosley, calling her out for not deleting pictures of the Lions’ grand final celebrations in September, which contained both her and Lachie.
“Take these (pictures) down, you idiot you’re embarrassing yourself,’’ Jules wrote, in a comment that has since been deleted.
The saga erupted when Jules responded to a first report she and Lachie were experiencing marriage problems.
“I want to make it very clear that I am not ‘working through’ anything,’’ she wrote on Instagram.
“I have been betrayed in the most unimaginable way. All I can do now is try to heal and do what’s best for my children. Thank you for the love and support. x Jules.”
The Herald Sun reported Jules was referring to “a deception” by her close friend.
The Lions earlier released a statement that did not address Neale’s marriage.
“The Brisbane Lions confirm Lachie Neale has made the decision to stand down as Co-Captain, effective as of today,” the club said in a statement.
“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.”
Neale has returned to Brisbane after spending time with his family in South Australia over Christmas.
The messy saga has continued to twist after Jules last week posted an Instagram story which featured Busselton Jetty in Western Australia.
The photo of the beach was accompanied by a heart mending emoji.
It has been widely reported she returned home to be with her family in Western Australia.
Lachie, meanwhile, spent time with family in the coastal town of Robe, about 300km southeast of Adelaide.
A moving truck was seen parked in the drive way of the couple’s Brisbane home last week.
Crosley spent the festive season enjoying some relaxation, Instagram photos suggest.
Poolside snaps and sweeping hinterland views painted the picture of a luxurious escape in Northern NSW with a number of other women and their children.
Crosley’s husband Ben, whom she married in 2017, did not appear in any of the images shared.
Lions players, including Neale, are expected to return for pre-season training next week.
Jules and Lachie were married in 2018 and appeared the perfect couple.
The pair met during the footballer’s time playing for the Fremantle Dockers when the then 18-year-old midfielder asked her out at a popular Perth nightspot.
The pair share two children.