Lachie Neale scandal: Tess Crosley flies to Adelaide for low-key 30th birthday amid marriage drama

Brisbane-based Tess Crosley has departed the State in which she’s been centred in Lachie and Jules Neale’s marriage fallout, at least for the weekend, flying south to Adelaide in celebration of her 30th birthday.

Posting a glammed-up pic from Penfolds Magill Estate Winery, the mother raised a glass of wine as she peered away from the camera while dining at the estate’s classy restaurant.

“Turned 30 on the weekend 🪩🍸🎈,” she captioned the image.

Pictured alone for her low-key birthday reservation, Tess’ venture beyond her home state follows a regrettable period of several weeks in which the Queensland native has become distant with former friend Jules, as well as her own husband Ben.

The mother has since removed all traces of the dual Brownlow medallist and his wife from her social media pages following pressure from Jules, after both couples had regularly appeared alongside each other as they spotlighted momentous life events and family holidays.

Finance director Ben — who shares a toddler with Tess — also chose to escape the noise at home by flying to Bali for a boys trip as he began the new year.

He was snapped shirtless at the luxury Bambu Fitness in Uluwatu following what appeared to be an intense workout session alongside friends Tom Bennallack and Seth Mutton.

On December 30, police attended Tess and Ben’s home to conduct a welfare check. Their property is just a three-minute drive from the now-vacated Neale residence.

Lachie and Jules have chosen to separate, with the Perth-raised mother-of-two revealed in December she had “been betrayed in the most unimaginable way”.

“I want to make it very clear that I am not ‘working through’ anything,” Jules wrote to Instagram.

“I have been betrayed in the most unimaginable way.

“All I can do now is try to heal and do what’s best for my children.”

It is believed she has since moved home to WA with her children.

After stepping down as Brisbane Lions co-captain, Lachie confirmed at a press conference last week that he and Jules would go their separate ways following seven years of marriage.

“While I won’t go into specifics, I can say that I have let my family down and I apologise for my actions that have let down those that are closest to me,” he said.

“For that I am deeply sorry.”

The former couple share Piper, 4, and Freddie, 1.

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said on Friday he would support his star midfielder should Lachie wish to move back to WA.

“I hope he stays and plays with us. But if he chooses to move back to Perth, because he needs to be close to his children, then he’ll do that with our blessing,” Fagan said.

“We’re not going to hold anyone to ransom. We’ll just go along with the flow on that.”

At the weekend, Lachie scored a minor financial win after his horse, named Two Time Charlie, won a race in Bunbury.

Neale is in a syndicate who own Two Time Charlie and it is not clear who named the horse.

Two Time Charlie cost $110,000 when he was selected at a Perth yearling sale by Neale’s former teammate Hayden Ballantyne.