3 hours ago
7
Cool, calm and composed in the wake of her husband's 'unimaginable betrayal,' Jules Neale emerged as the winner of the Australian Open's 'glam slam'.
She glided through Melbourne Park on Tuesday as the most talked-about WAG in the country. Sorry, Bec Judd, but it's true.
You know the story by now: in December, Jules learned her husband, Brisbane Lions golden boy Lachie Neale, had been having a months-long affair with her former best friend, married Mormon and would-be influencer Tess Crosley.
The details followed thick and fast. They'd been caught in a car. They'd used the gym as a meeting place. And my personal favourite: a café worker saw them together with Lachie's children but assumed Tess was the babysitter.
The final straw came when another WAG caught them red-handed and told Jules.
Nearly two months on, Jules has left Brisbane behind, returning to Perth with her kids to regroup with family and friends.
Cool, calm and composed in the wake of her husband's 'unimaginable betrayal,' Jules Neale emerged as the winner of the Australian Open's 'glam slam', writes Lucy Manly
I caught up with Jules at Melbourne Park, where she attended as a guest of Piper-Heidsieck champagne alongside her friend and fellow Perth hairdresser, Gabby Morrone
I caught up with her at the Australian Open, where she attended as a guest of Piper-Heidsieck champagne alongside her friend and fellow Perth hairdresser, Gabby Morrone.
The circumstances of getting the interview were... interesting.
I was told by her new publicist that questions about the scandal were off-limits. They are keen to steer the narrative away from Jules as 'raging wife' - even if Lachie does deserve it.
She was more forthcoming about her new life in Western Australia. Remember: Jules was kind of a big deal in Perth and even owned her own successful salon before Lachie's football career brought her to the east coast.
'It's been really nice [being back],' she told me.
'They [the children] are settling in really nicely, straight back into Perth life. And it's really nice to be back around the family.'
The soaring 45-degree heat in Melbourne that day prompted Jules to open up about her surprising family history: she's from the outback mining town Kalgoorlie.
Kalgoorlie, of course, is famous for its sweltering climate and being home to one of the world's oldest working brothels.
I saw plenty of eyeroll-inducing influencers swanning around at the Australian Open this week. My hope is that Jules, who recently signed with a talent agency, doesn't become one of them
Proving her resilience in more ways than one, she said that the Victorian heatwave 'isn't getting to me'.
And it may well have been a blessing in disguise.
The rising mercury kept many of the big names at bay at Melbourne Park, giving Jules her moment in the spotlight before settling into her $20,000 courtside seat, much to the delight of her reps.
Though I expect she still would have had the same magnetic pull even if Nadia Bartel and co. were swanning about nearby.
Jules had executed quite the power move last week, announcing she'd signed with talent agency One Daydream, run by Melbourne PR powerhouse Pru Corrigan.
So it's little wonder she'll be splitting her time between Perth and Melbourne in the months ahead, which will no doubt open doors for her career.
I was told by her new publicist that questions about Lachie's affair were off-limits. They are keen to steer the narrative away from Jules as 'raging wife' - even if he does deserve it
I couldn't help but notice Jules' prime position in the Australian Open crowd during her day at the tennis.
It's the sort of spot snapped up by the likes of the Judds, Gerard Butler, and tennis WAGs Mia Savio and Sophia Sinacola.
The eye-watering ticket comes with serious perks: a fully catered lunch or dinner by Shimpei Raikuni of Brisbane's Sushi Room, enjoyed in a hidden private dining cave beneath Rod Laver Arena, washed down with bottomless Piper-Heidsieck and a chauffeured ride to and from Melbourne Park.
Beyond the spectacle of Jules' arrival, the overriding theme of the Open this year was the influencer invasion - which shows no sign of abating as we head toward the final.
We saw hints of it last year. I'm still recovering from Pip Edwards' immortal faux pas as she clattered down the stairs to her prime seat long after the first serve.
In 2026, though, the TikTok crowd reached new heights, with a parade of impeccably-styled content creators swarming the tournament, phones permanently aloft, posting every angle, every moment.
Insiders say many are ushered into premium lounges and front-row seats by luxury brands eager to capitalise on their Midas touch.
But while it may do business for them, true tennis fans are up in arms over the growing lack of etiquette, with certain cliques treating Centre Court like a photo studio.
With Jules now poised to become the next influencer sensation, here's hoping she keeps her feet firmly on the ground and doesn't let all this sudden attention sweep her into the vain Insta-circus that many of us are, frankly, already growing tired of.
English (US) ·