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Jules Neale has been “to hell and back” since she discovered her husband, AFL star Lachie, had betrayed her “in the most unimaginable way”, a source has exclusively revealed to Woman’s Day.
“She never saw it coming – that’s the real shock… how does anyone recover from that?” the insider says.
But it appears the mother of two – who shares daughter Piper, four, and son Freddie, one, with the former Brisbane Lions captain – is moving forward with purpose, with the insider describing her as “one strong woman”.
“She was that one WAG in the group at the Lions who always looked out for everyone else – just a decent human being,” they say, explaining that for Jules to be allegedly alerted to her husband’s betrayal by another player’s wife was “about as confronting as it gets”.
What happened between Lachie and Jules?
Jules’ former best friend Tess Crosley has emerged as a central figure in the Neales’ marriage split, which was confirmed by Lachie during a January 2 press conference during which he relinquished his co-captaincy of the Brisbane Lions.
“While I will not go into specifics I can say that I have let my family down and I apologise for my actions, which have hurt those closest to me. And for that, I am deeply sorry,” he told the assembled media.
“I accept this as a consequence of my actions and I need to focus on rebuilding the trust with Jules as the future well-being of our children remains our number one priority.”
When asked directly, “Did you cheat on your wife?”, the star midfielder replied: “I cannot address those rumours.”
Tess, who has been linked to Lachie in numerous media reports, hasn’t spoken publicly on the furore.
When approached by the Daily Mail earlier in January and asked, “Did you want to say anything about Lachie?”, she replied simply, “No, I have an appointment to make.”
Now, a source tells Woman’s Day that while Jules “quite literally crumpled and fell in a heap” upon discovering her husband’s betrayal, with the help of her Perth family and close-knit friends, she has managed to “brush herself off and prove just how strong she is”.
“She acted fast for the sake of the children,” the insider continues, adding that a “frightening experience” at Jules’ local cafe in Brisbane, as speculation about her marriage split reached fever pitch, was the “last straw” for the mum.
“Accosted by a pack of paparazzi – in her words it was like being hunted – she knew she had to get back to her native Perth with her mum and dad, and her very protective three little brothers just so the children weren’t subjected to any more trauma,” the source continues.
Since her marriage split, the source says Jules will have been “processing frame by frame, event by event”.
“She’ll be thinking and saying to herself remembering that time [Lachie] was late home from the gym… that’s a very hard journey back when it comes to trust.
“But she is in a good place back home living with her beautiful parents who are caring for the kids while she jetted into Melbourne for some well-deserved time out at the Australian Open.”
Indeed, Jules was pictured dazzling in a pink ensemble as she sipped champagne with a friend at the glitzy Piper-Heidsieck Salon at the Australian Open on January 27.
“On court energy. Incredible experience, thanks for having us!” she captioned a series of Instagram snaps of her at the event.
And the source tells Woman’s Day this is likely just the start of a bold new chapter for the star.
“With rumours Tess is being pursued for the next instalment of MAFS and I’m a Celebrity, Jules has attracted even more attention from a number of sponsorship deals,” they say.
“For now, she sees her own personal heartbreak and journey as a way to forge her own career as an influencer and wants to help other women – and men – to navigate through their pain.”
Are Jules and Lachie Neale still together?
Friends, meanwhile, reportedly say Lachie is looking for one more chance and may cut short his contract with the Lions in a bid to secure a place at the WA-based Fremantle Dockers or West Coast Eagles.
“But there’s whispers in the AFL corridors that no one wants to sign him up given his track record – West Australians are very loyal, and the fact Jules is there with the family in Perth, he’s probably not the State’s favourite person right now,” the insider adds.
“Jules has shut the door on any form of reconciliation and is now preparing for what a future of shared single parenting looks like.
“She’s smart, gorgeous and a great mum, and her inner sanctum won’t be surprised if she meets someone to share her life with sooner rather than – and who will ultimately help her heal a very fractured heart.”
The source adds that Jules is now seeing everything as a silver lining.
“Her comfort is knowing her two kids get to spend more time with their grandparents – something that would never have happened had she still been in Brisbane,” they say.
“Life is already looking better – and she hopes the same for Tess’s husband Ben and their family so they too can get on with their lives – ultimately here two families have been destroyed and all Jules and Ben want now is for them all to heal and try and find their own silver lining.”
