Dual Brisbane Lions premiership co-captain Lachie Neale has quit his leadership role amid the fallout from his marriage breakdown.
The 32-year-old midfield star’s Lions teammates were told on Friday morning that Neale would be vacating the captaincy.
The team remain on their AFL-mandated Christmas break and are due to return to pre-season training next week.
The Lions confirmed Neale’s decision in a statement ahead of a press conference.
‘The Brisbane Lions confirm Lachie Neale has made the decision to stand down as co-captain, effective as of today,’ a club statement read.
‘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.’
Premiership vice-captains Josh Dunkley and Hugh McCluggage will stay in their roles with Andrews to lead the club as the sole captain.
Brisbane Lions midfielder Lachie Neale has stepped down as captain
Rumours broke in December that her marriage to Lachie Neale was on the rocks, with Jules taking to social media to write she had been ‘betrayed’
The pair are seen celebrating Neale’s Grand Final win in September
Tess Crosley was spotted in a skimpy lycra outfit this week
She wore the matching baby pink activewear set to take her young son on a walk
Crosley was also seen loading a car with belongings
The bombshell development comes after reports the dual Brownlow medallist’s marriage to influencer and hairdresser Jules Neale, 35, was over.
On December 22, Jules launched a remarkable public attack on former friend Tess Crosley, demanding she remove Instagram photos of the Brisbane Lions’ recent grand final celebrations.
The post in question featured multiple images from Grand Final day and the celebrations following Brisbane’s back–to–back premiership win.
Several photos showed Jules and Lachie on the field and inside the sheds celebrating with friends after the match.
The now-deleted comment, which was captured in screenshots, shows Jules writing: ‘Take these down, you idiot, you’re embarrassing yourself.’
Jules recently revealed the breakdown of her marriage – denying news reports she was ‘working through’ issues with Lachie and instead alleged that she had been ‘betrayed in the most unimaginable way’.
She did not specify what that entailed.
‘I want to make it very clear that I am not ‘working through’ anything,’ she wrote. ‘I have been betrayed in the most unimaginable way.’
Jules Neale after announcing her marriage break-up
There is no suggestion Ms Crosley, who was spotted wearing a skimpy Lycra outfit on Friday, has done anything improper.
She wore the matching baby pink activewear set to take her young son for a walk and put belongings in her car.
In the meantime, Neale will front a press conference at Brisbane’s Springfield headquarters on Friday afternoon.
It’s understood Neale was already set to step down for the upcoming season, well before his alleged relationship issues feverishly surfaced online and in gossip media in December.
At a draft function in November, the Lions faithful were told Andrews would become Brisbane’s sole captain in 2026 as the club strives for a premiership three-peat.
Neale, who sought a trade from Fremantle to Brisbane at the end of 2018, is one of the most decorated players in the Lions’ history.
In his seven seasons with Brisbane, he has claimed two Brownlow medals (2020, 2023), won four Merrett-Murray medals as the Lions’ best-and-fairest, four All-Australians and starred in two grand final wins.
Neale’s 2025 season appeared all but over after hurting his calf in the Lions’ qualifying final loss against Geelong.
Neale’s 2025 season appeared all but over after hurting his calf in the Lions’ qualifying final loss against Geelong
But the star midfielder made a remarkable recovery to prove his fitness and was picked as sub in the Lions’ grand final rematch against the Cats.
Subbed into the grand final at the start of the third quarter, Neale’s influence was pivotal in Brisbane’s barnstorming second-half demolition of Geelong.
Neale had 17 possessions, seven clearances and kicked one classic goal to help inspire the Lions to a 47-point win.
The 294-game matchwinner is out of contract with the Lions at the end of 2026.
Already the most successful club of the 21st century, Brisbane have a chance to claim a second premiership three-peat to add to the one led by Leigh Matthews and Michael Voss from 2001-03.
