Brodie Ryan breaks silence on Nathan Buckley's new romance

Melbourne businesswoman Brodie Ryan has broken her silence on former Australian rules football star Nathan Buckley's new relationship with restaurateur Kate Dickins.

Ryan revealed she has been aware of the romance between the Collingwood Football Club legend and Dickins since April, offering nothing but warm wishes for the couple.

Speaking to the Daily Mail on Tuesday, Ryan confirmed there was no animosity regarding the new relationship after the pair recently made their first public appearance together in Melbourne.

"I have known about it since April," Ryan said. "She looks stunning and they make a beautiful couple. I hear she is a great person!"

Ryan, who dated the Geelong Football Club assistant coach for approximately three years, emphasized that all parties have moved forward happily following their May 2025 separation.

"We seem to have all found our happiness," she added. "I genuinely wish them all the happiness."

Red carpet debut at Geelong awards night

Her gracious comments come after Buckley and Dickins made their public debut as a couple at Crown Melbourne last Thursday. The pair attended the Carji Greeves Medal, the annual best and fairest award event for the Geelong Football Club.

Buckley, 54, appeared in a crisp navy suit, while Dickins wore a striking electric blue gown featuring a thigh-high split as they stepped out together on the red carpet for the first time.

The couple are understood to have been dating privately for several months before making their official appearance together at the club awards night.

Dickins is a prominent figure in the Melbourne culinary scene and owns the popular Italian restaurant Ciao Cielo in Port Melbourne. She has also worked professionally as a chef.

End of a three-year relationship

Buckley's new relationship comes more than a year after Ryan confirmed the end of their romance, which originally began in 2022 following his split from Albury salon owner Alex Pike.

Ryan announced their separation in May 2025 in a message shared on Instagram, explaining that the decision followed an extended period of reflection.

"After much reflection and consideration, Nath and I have decided to part ways," Ryan wrote at the time. "Thank you for your kind messages and support over the past couple of months of heartache. I am truly grateful for your kindness and consideration."

She added that the choice was not made lightly and expressed appreciation for their time together and the support they received from friends and followers.

"This decision was not made lightly, and we are grateful for the time we shared, the memories we created, and the support we received from each other and all of you," she said.

Ryan also made a point of expressing her ongoing respect for Buckley, his family, and their shared pet.

"While we will no longer be a couple, I will always respect Nathan and the friendship that developed between us three to four years ago and have a lot of love for him and his boys and our beautiful dog Tank," she wrote, referring to the pair as "Brodes and Bucks."

Life after football and past marriages

The couple's split in May 2025 occurred just months after they spent a family holiday together in Fiji. Despite their 17-year age gap, Ryan previously noted that they shared common interests and encouraged each other to grow.

Following their split, Ryan attracted public discussion across Melbourne after observing that dating a high-profile Australian rules football figure was "harder than being a CEO of a company," sparking conversation around the WAG lifestyle associated with sports stars.

Prior to his relationship with Pike and subsequently Ryan, Buckley was married to Tania Buckley for 18 years until their separation was announced in December 2020. Buckley and his ex-wife share two sons, Jett and Ayce.