2026 Pre-Season Thread

[Jivlain]

I read comments from people saying the media should leave it alone. Hell no, if Jules didn't want it in the media she wouldn't have released that post on social media. Media won't be dropping it and nor should they

I would imagine it adds a lot to the pain to have the media reporting that you're "working through it" when you're a) not and b) already incandescent with fury

 

[Nathan Barley]

I would imagine it adds a lot to the pain to have the media reporting that you're "working through it" when you're a) not and b) already incandescent with fury

Probably was Lachies side of the story and Jules needed to give hers

 

[DevRoboGun]

Well… I guess this finally ends the Neale to Freo rumours

 

[Tom14]

Probably was Lachies side of the story and Jules needed to give hers

Whoever in lachie’s camp decided to give the journalist the ‘working through things’ line is an idiot. Just say nothing.

 

[martinson]

Probably was Lachies side of the story and Jules needed to give hers

There's nothing that the AFL press and footy followers love more than an acrimonious falling out with an endless back story that makes for juicy reading.

Jules has given them the green light. It's an absolute shame with his kids at the age they are . One can only hope the situation is redeemable.

The upside is he might be working really hard for another contract. His overheads aren't going down any time soon.

 

[Simbatheking21]

The footy journos are gonna love this

 

[lioninthesand]

Been sitting on it for a while out of respect, but as Jules has gone nuclear I don’t see the need to surpress details. It’ll all come out in the coming days anyway.

The reason it was ‘unimaginable’ and for further context, it was with her very close friend, which has been well known in circles for over a week.

Incredibly sad for her and the kids, Jules is a queen.

 

[SpecialBruce]

Been sitting on it for a while out of respect, but as Jules has gone nuclear I don’t see the need to surpress details. It’ll all come out in the coming days anyway.

The reason it was ‘unimaginable’ and for further context, it was with her very close friend, which has been well known in circles for over a week.

Incredibly sad for her and the kids, Jules is a queen.

So the rumours were right. Time won't heal those wounds. The marriage is done.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Gun footballers and an inability to keep the snake in the cage: a tale as old as time itself.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Was thinking the same. Lachie can concentrate on his footy for his last couple of seasons

It appears to me he might have been concentrating on the wrong things!

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Sorry to break this to you but it likely is way more common than you think

Jesus did I miss out!

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Does make me wonder if all that time spent in the hyperbaric chamber was a tad over estimated.

Does it help in recovery?

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

That basically ruined North Melbourne.

No. Norths appalling recruiting ruined them.

 

[Sherrinator]

Been sitting on it for a while out of respect, but as Jules has gone nuclear I don’t see the need to surpress details. It’ll all come out in the coming days anyway.

The reason it was ‘unimaginable’ and for further context, it was with her very close friend, which has been well known in circles for over a week.

Incredibly sad for her and the kids, Jules is a queen.

I think we need to go easy on labelling anybody anything since we don’t personally know them or anything about their relationship

 

[Sherrinator]

i love this club, but the amount of cheating that has happened in the past few years. Vegas, Zorko, and this. It's deeply upsetting. Getting very difficult to cheer for people who openly do terrible things. The only brightside is that they're still good people at this club, such as Cameron, Andrews, Fletcher, Lester. And probably the ashcrofts and the new boys considering they're new here. Regardless, I can't see Lachie as the same person anymore. Cheating is unforgivable. And this isn't a zorko incident given he and his partner had separated by that time. Lachie cheated on his wife with her best friend.

I think you might need to lay off the soap opera and watch the game

 

[lioninthesand]

I think we need to go easy on labelling anybody anything since we don’t personally know them or anything about their relationship

I think my post is fairly harmless, TBH. Jules has made an open statement, she’s clearly very upset, it is sad for her and the kids.

He is a very well known public figure, people are allowed to discuss it, so long as it’s respectful - commenting that it is sad, does not need policing on a footy forum.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Jules knows full well what that post insinuates (And the insta post deletions) and wouldn't put that over Lachie's head unless it was actually the case.

Dare I say this would be much worse than the Zorko incident for many reasons. A real darn shame for Jules & the kids if it all ends up to be what we believe it to be.

Andrews sole captain seems inevitable, although arguably should have happened for 2026 onwards anyway besides the above IMO.

Well, depends…from a football perspective Zorko’s was probably worse since it involved Froggy as well to a degree. But this feels messier in a general sense

 

[Morbidly_Obese]

Take this to the scandals and rumours board. A lot of gossip with very little facts outside speculation and innuendo.

Not really our place to comment or speculate, outside hoping all parties have support with whatever may or may not be happening.

Everybody wants to be a ****ing mod.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Meh. Show goes on

 

[GenericUsername202]

Meh. Show goes on

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The club can't avoid this and they will have to take action in some form. Also, a storm like this doesn't cease overnight. This will only get messier - especially if Jules moves back to perth and files for divorce. Not only are the club in disrepute right now, but Lachie's season is as well. There is simply no way he would be able to perform at the highest level with everything that is about to come from this. The negative media attention, his wife leaving him, the likely divorce, his kids probably not being at home with him anymore. I have to also preface this by saying Jules is the real victim in all of this; and i can't imagine how she's feeling right now.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The club can't avoid this and they will have to take action in some form. Also, a storm like this doesn't cease overnight. This will only get messier - especially if Jules moves back to perth and files for divorce. Not only are the club in disrepute right now, but Lachie's season is as well. There is simply no way he would be able to perform at the highest level with everything that is about to come from this. The negative media attention, his wife leaving him, the likely divorce, his kids probably not being at home with him anymore. I have to also preface this by saying Jules is the real victim in all of this; and i can't imagine how she's feeling right now.

Take action lol. His personal life has nothing to do with the club

 

[GenericUsername202]

Take action lol. His personal life has nothing to do with the club

Your personal life always bleeds into the field. There is absolutely no way that Lachie won't be negatively effected by this.

 

[jimbler]

Well… I guess this finally ends the Neale to Freo rumours

I don't see how. If his kids are going to be living over there now, I imagine he'll almost certainly be requesting a trade at the end of next season.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Not only are the club in disrepute right now

The club are not in disrepute. The club didn't have an affair, Lachie did. It's no reflection on anyone else there.

I get being disappointed over this, and I too feel for Jules, but at the end of the day, I'm following the club (and by extension Lachie) because they play football, not because I look up to them as moral pillars (and if religious institutions are anything to go by, there's no point looking up to anyone as a moral pillar, because humans are flawed). Sadly for them, divorce is likely inevitable now, but I still support Lachie as a player.

While we're here, I had a gander at the other woman's Instagram page and she's been in Lions circles for a while now, seemed to be good mates with Jarryd Lyons' partner too before they went to Adelaide. I wonder how all that started.

 

[Lace Out]

Gun footballers and an inability to keep the snake in the cage: a tale as old as time itself.