Tess Crosley releases statement slamming strangers’ behaviour amid Lachie Neale controversy

Tess Crosley has issued a statement condemning strangers for making ‘derogatory comments’ about her on the street in front of her young child.

Tess, 30, has been at the center of headlines amid an alleged scandal surrounding AFL star Lachie Neale, 32, whose wife Jules ended their marriage due to ‘betrayal’ and seemingly directed the blame at a close friend.

On Wednesday, Tess published a statement on Instagram to her 39,000 followers, telling how she was approached on the street while caring for her son.

“I want to make this very clear,” she began the statement posted to her Instagram story.

“It is never acceptable for someone to approach a stranger in public and make derogatory comments or insult them, especially if they are only trying to meet the needs of their child.”

Tess went on to say that her child “didn’t deserve” to be exposed to the abuse that strangers had perpetrated against her since rumors of her involvement in Lachie and Jules’ split first started circulating.

“As I navigate my own personal challenges, my priority remains protecting and shielding my child from unnecessary hostility and cruelty in everyday situations,” she concluded the statement.

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Tess is married to one of Lachie’s friends, Ben Crosley. Their relationship status remains unclear at this stage, but they share one child together. 

Tess’ statement comes a day after she hit back at a critic on Ben’s Instagram page, marking one of her first public interactions since the rumors started circulating.

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Among the photos Ben posted with his friends on a golf course, Tess commented with an emoji of an Italian hand gesture, also known as a “chef’s kiss” emoji.

A fan took it upon themselves to respond to her comment, asking, “Did he forgive you? I’m confused, no offense,” to which Tess gave a blunt response.

“Don’t think that’s any of your business,” she joked back.

Jules and Lachie’s split first made headlines in December after she publicly claimed she had been ‘betrayed’ after rumors circulated that she and Lachie were having relationship problems.

“I want to make it very clear that I am not involved in anything,” Jules said.

“I have been betrayed in the most unimaginable way. All I can do now is heal and do what is best for my children.”

Within days of the statement, Jules added to the speculation about the cause of the breakup when she commented on a now deleted post on former girlfriend Tess’s Instagram page.

“Take this away you idiot, you’re embarrassing yourself,” Neale wrote beneath photos of her former best friend celebrating Lachie Neale’s Brisbane Lions AFL Grand Final last September.

The footage showed Tess, her husband Ben and the Neales on the field.

Tess’ knee appeared to touch Lachie’s, while their respective husbands stood on the other side.

The two couples were reportedly close friends and often appeared on each other’s social media accounts.

The ladies have since unfollowed each other and deleted all traces of each other from their social media pages.

There is no confirmation that anything unusual happened between Tess and Lachie.

Jules has since moved back to Perth with their children, Piper, four, and Freddie, one.

The post led to Lachie stepping down from his position as co-captain of the Lions in January.

Lachie confirmed the divorce while addressing the media that same month.

During the press conference, Lachie publicly apologized, without any explicit confirmation of anything untoward.

“While I will not go into details, I can say that I have failed my family, and I apologize for my actions that hurt those closest to me,” he said.

“For that, I am very sorry.”

Lachie added that he had to “accept” the consequences of his actions, but that he was focused on rebuilding trust with Neale as the well-being of their children remained their number one priority.

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