Lachie Neale has reportedly moved on following the collapse of his marriage to estranged wife Jules, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The dual Brownlow medallist, 33, has been romantically linked to Emma Field. Neale has largely kept his private life out of the spotlight since he and Jules separated late last year, but is understood to have told friends he is now seeing somebody.
Field was pictured with a female friend in the stands at the Gabba during the Lions' Round 20 clash. She is also believed to have travelled to Perth one week earlier, when Brisbane faced the West Coast Eagles.
Followers have also noticed that Neale has liked several of Field's Instagram photographs. She reportedly works in advertising and is said to have recently discussed the possibility of transferring to Melbourne. Neither Neale nor Field has publicly confirmed the reported relationship.
The development comes as speculation continues to surround Neale's football future. The unrestricted free agent is reportedly interested in joining Collingwood next season after seven years at Brisbane.
The marriage breakdown
Neale and Jules announced their separation in November, after Jules claimed she had been betrayed "in the most unimaginable way." The split became the subject of intense public scrutiny amid allegations involving Jules' former close friend, Tess Crosley.
Neale later acknowledged the split was the result of his actions but did not detail what had occurred. He stepped down as Brisbane co-captain in January and apologised while accepting the consequences of his behavior.
Despite the painful separation, the former couple have continued co-parenting their two children, Piper, four, and Freddie, one. Jules, 36, returned to her hometown of Perth with the children before Christmas and initially moved in with her parents.
She recently revealed she had found a new property after an extensive search and was looking forward to creating fresh family memories there. The milestone followed the sale of the former couple's Brisbane home at auction in February.
Speaking ahead of his 300th AFL match in April, Neale admitted being separated from his children had been difficult and praised Jules for allowing him to visit them in Western Australia. He said he was lucky that Jules, their mother, allowed him to come and go from Perth. The Lions and coach Chris Fagan have also supported his need to travel, with the club allowing him to miss training when necessary.
Jules rebuilds
Meanwhile, Jules has been rebuilding her life and emerging as an influencer in her own right. The hairdresser and content creator recently told news.com.au that messages from women who had endured similar upheavals made her feel less alone, saying the support had meant so much to her and had been overwhelming in the best way.
Jules said many of the messages had come from mothers and other women navigating major changes in their lives. Her growing career creating beauty, wellness and lifestyle content has given her a renewed sense of purpose while allowing her to put motherhood first.
Jules appeared to make a subtle reference to her marriage breakdown in a sponsored Instagram video shared in February promoting Elle Macpherson's WelleCo supplements. She told followers she had once been devoted to her wellness routine before becoming a little distracted along the way, and that she stopped showing up for herself the way she used to but had lately been fighting her way back. She concluded by saying there was something powerful about rebuilding your glow quietly.
Jules has since said she is entering a more confident phase of her life with a clearer idea of the future she wants to create. Neale, meanwhile, is reportedly exploring a romance with Field as his own new chapter begins.
