The Brisbane Lions have deleted a social media video featuring Lachie Neale's four-year-old daughter Piper in tears following a public backlash led by her mother, Jules Neale. The footage was posted on Instagram after Neale's 300th AFL game, showing the midfielder carrying Piper onto the Melbourne Cricket Ground ahead of the match against Melbourne on April 19.
Piper appeared overwhelmed by the moment, crying into her father's shoulder as the team prepared to run through the banner. The video combined multiple clips, including a pre-game interaction filmed the day before the milestone match. In that segment, Neale asked his daughter: 'Are you excited to run out onto the ground tomorrow. Are you?' Piper responded by shaking her head. The edited post then cut to the on-field moment, with additional text added by the club reading 'She wasn't lying,' alongside emojis. The caption accompanying the video read 'Our shy queen.'
Mother's Reaction
Jules Neale, who is estranged from Lachie Neale, was not happy with the Brisbane Lions sharing footage of their daughter crying ahead of the match. She responded in the comments, disputing the description used by the club and the framing of the footage. 'She's not shy,' she wrote. 'She's scared and it's not funny.' The post was later removed from the club's social media channels following the criticism.
Background of the Milestone Match
The moment formed part of a pre-game ceremony recognising Neale's 300-game milestone, with the two-time Brownlow Medallist walking onto the field with his daughter in front of a large crowd. The practice of players bringing family members onto the ground for milestone matches is a long-standing AFL tradition. Vision of the scene was broadcast live before being repurposed by the club for social media. The Lions also shared additional content from the lead-up to the game, including footage of Piper holding a Brisbane Lions microphone and speaking with her father on the boundary line.
Family Separation
Jules Neale and the couple's young son Freddie did not attend the match, remaining in Perth following the pair's separation. Lachie Neale confirmed earlier this year that the couple had split in December 2025 and addressed the situation publicly, stating: 'I felt like I had let a lot of people down.' The separation followed reports of an alleged affair involving Tess Crosley, a former friend of Jules. After the split, Jules relocated to Perth with the children, while Neale stayed in Queensland due to his AFL commitments. The couple also listed their Brisbane home for sale as part of the separation. Despite the breakdown of the relationship, Neale has continued to travel to Perth to spend time with his children.
In the days following the deleted post, the Lions continued to share images and video of Neale's milestone match, including post-game footage of him with Piper in the club rooms.
