The scandal surrounding Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale has deepened with online sleuths uncovering what they claim is compelling evidence from Instagram posts and photos that suggest his alleged relationship with Tess Crosley began much earlier than previously reported—potentially overlapping with his wife Jules Neale’s pregnancy with their first child.

Netizens, combing through archived social media content, have pointed to images and interactions that appear to show growing closeness between Neale and Crosley during a period when Jules was expecting their daughter Piper Rose, born in September 2021. While the couple’s first pregnancy was announced earlier that year amid their struggles to conceive, some observers have highlighted photos from group outings and team-related events where Neale and Crosley are positioned closely together, sharing smiles and casual touches that now seem loaded with hindsight. One widely discussed image from around that time shows the group—including Jules—at a casual gathering, with Neale and Crosley seated side by side in a way that fans now interpret as flirtatious or intimate, especially given Jules’ position farther away in the frame.

Further scrutiny of Tess Crosley’s Instagram feed has revealed multiple posts featuring Lachie Neale over the years, including celebratory shots from Lions events where he features prominently. Comment sections and interactions from as far back as 2021 have been dissected, with some users noting benign but frequent engagements—like heart emojis or lighthearted replies—that online detectives argue indicate an emotional connection predating the public fallout. Speculation intensified when archived stories and tagged photos from family trips and grand final celebrations were re-examined, showing the two families socializing frequently. Critics claim these interactions suggest the boundaries were blurring well before the 2025 season, potentially during Jules’ early motherhood phase with Piper.

The timeline adds a layer of controversy to the already explosive allegations. Jules Neale, who publicly accused her husband of an “unimaginable betrayal” in a December 2025 social media post, had built a close friendship with Tess Crosley, a fellow WAG who lived nearby and shared similar family dynamics. Crosley, a practicing Mormon and mother to a young son, had been part of the Neales’ inner circle for years, attending games, holidays, and personal milestones together. The friendship made the alleged affair particularly painful, as Jules reportedly confided in Tess about her marriage and family life.

More recent reports have varied on the exact start of the alleged physical relationship, with some insiders claiming it lasted three months leading up to the mid-December 2025 revelations—placing its onset around the time of the Lions’ 2025 premiership win. Others suggest it could have stretched to six months or longer, based on eyewitness accounts from a Brisbane gym where Neale and Crosley were seen being openly affectionate without much discretion. Gym members described months of interactions that led them to assume Neale was single or separated. A key moment came when another Lions WAG reportedly spotted the pair in a compromising position in a car, prompting her to inform Jules after consulting with another partner in the group.

The online “soi” (sleuthing) has amplified these claims, with fans and commentators sharing side-by-side comparisons of old photos to argue the chemistry was evident long before. Some point to Neale’s increasing comments on Crosley’s posts starting around mid-2025, including simple hearts or compliments that now appear more significant. While much of this remains speculative and based on public content rather than concrete proof, it has fueled discussions about how long the alleged emotional or physical overlap might have existed, especially given Jules’ pregnancies and the demands of raising young children while supporting an elite athlete’s career.

Jules Neale announced her first pregnancy in early 2021 after years of fertility challenges, welcoming Piper Rose in late September that year. The couple later had a second child, Freddie Oliver, born in December 2024. Throughout this period, social media showed a seemingly happy family unit, with Jules posting about motherhood joys and Lachie’s support. The contrast with emerging allegations has left many shocked, particularly as Jules relocated to Perth with the children shortly after the split became public, prioritizing their stability away from Brisbane’s intense spotlight.

Lachie Neale, 32, confirmed the separation in early January 2026, stepping down as co-captain to focus on personal issues and apologizing for his actions. He has not directly addressed the timeline claims or specific allegations involving Crosley. Tess Crosley has largely stayed silent, archiving or deleting relevant content while her husband Ben has posted from a Bali trip, appearing without his wedding ring in some images—sparking further speculation about their own relationship status.

The scandal has divided the AFL community, with some WAGs rallying around Jules and distancing themselves from Crosley. It has also prompted reflection on the pressures of high-profile relationships, where private lives intersect with public scrutiny, and how social media archives can resurface to paint new narratives. Whether the online evidence definitively proves an earlier start remains debated, but it has undeniably intensified the narrative of betrayal that began with Jules’ raw outpouring and continues to unfold as the 2026 season approaches.

For the families involved, particularly the young children, the focus remains on healing amid the noise. Jules has emphasized moving forward positively, while the broader conversation highlights the human cost when trust erodes in such visible circles.