Jules Neale alleges Lachie Neale was unfaithful before their 2025 separation

Lachie Neale and Jules Neale’s marriage ended after Jules alleged repeated infidelity, including a longer affair involving a close friend. The allegations were discussed in Jules’ first major interview since the split, while the reported relationship between Neale and Tess Crosley has not been officially confirmed. Nine.com.au The Nightly

Jules Neale alleges Lachie Neale was unfaithful before their 2025 separation

In an interview on the Pretty Sure podcast, Jules Neale alleged that her former husband had been unfaithful at least once before the incident that led to their December 2025 separation. She said she received a direct message containing evidence of an earlier relationship and chose to remain in the marriage because she did not want to break up their family. Nine.com.au

Jules said she had been reassured that the earlier incident was a one-off mistake. She later alleged that, after the couple separated, other people contacted her with accounts of further infidelity. Her comments concerned conduct she said occurred during the marriage; the available reporting does not independently establish each allegation. News24

Jules described the later incident as involving her then-best friend, who has been identified in reporting as Tess Crosley. She said she was initially told it was a kiss, but later came to believe it had been an ongoing four-month affair. The Nightly reported that the alleged affair was never officially confirmed. Sydney Morning Herald The Nightly

How the separation became public

The marriage breakdown became public around December 2025 and January 2026. Jules said she moved to Perth with the couple’s two children after learning about the alleged incident. She said leaving was an immediate decision because she feared the behaviour would continue. Nine.com.au News24

Jules later said she had been told the incident involved only a kiss and that she learned more about the alleged relationship after relocating to Perth. She said she had stayed quiet initially because she wanted to protect her children, but decided to speak publicly so they would one day see that she had stood up for herself. Sydney Morning Herald

The first public framing of the separation was that the couple were working through marital issues. Jules later rejected that description, saying she had been betrayed and was focused on healing and doing what was best for their children. Sydney Morning Herald

What Lachie Neale and the Lions said

In a January 2026 media address, Lachie Neale acknowledged that he had let his family down and apologised for actions that had hurt those closest to him. He also said he had to accept the consequences and was focused on rebuilding trust for the wellbeing of the children. Nine.com.au

Jules also alleged that Brisbane Lions’ preferred approach was to describe the couple as working through marital issues, with the club saying that this would protect her and the children from media attention. She said she came to feel that the people protecting Neale, or what benefited him, were not necessarily protecting her. Sydney Morning Herald

The Lions’ co-captaincy change was reported alongside the public fallout, but the supplied coverage does not establish a fuller public response from Neale to Jules’ later allegations. The central unresolved issue remains that Jules has described multiple alleged incidents, while the reported affair involving Crosley has not been officially confirmed.