NRLW star Jaime Chapman has demonstrated remarkable resilience, capping off a profoundly difficult 2025 with a rejuvenating holiday in Bali, proving that living well truly is the best form of revenge.
A Year of Adversity and Setbacks
The 23-year-old Gold Coast Titans player endured a series of public and personal trials this year. Her challenges began with a highly controversial and public break-up with Dolphins and Queensland star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, a split first revealed by the Daily Mail.
Her professional life was equally fraught with difficulty. In her very first match of 2025, playing for the Indigenous All Stars against the Māori All Stars on February 15, disaster struck. Chapman suffered a fractured L2 vertebrae after being accidentally kneed in the back while scoring a try.
"I've never broken a bone before, so [it was a] pretty hectic one," Chapman later reflected. "It was quite painful. The way I pulled up extremely sore the next day I knew something was wrong."
Digital Violation and Further Injury
Just as Chapman was recovering, she faced another violation. In early May, she became the target of a deepfake photo attack, prompting her to speak out against the damaging use of AI technology.
Her athletic career suffered another blow on June 7, when the intimate video featuring her ex-partner Tabuai-Fidow was filmed, according to Daily Mail sources. The very public nature of their split became apparent in late June when Chapman removed all traces of Tabuai-Fidow from her social media.
The setbacks continued into August when Chapman sustained a serious ankle injury while playing the Roosters, forcing her to miss the end of the NRLW season as her Titans finished ninth on the ladder.
Bali Recovery and Looking Forward
Despite these challenges, Chapman showcased incredible determination, recovering in time to represent Australia in their October 12 victory over Papua New Guinea.
Her recent Bali getaway served as the perfect circuit-breaker. Chapman posted an album of images to Instagram with the simple caption 'Bagus', Indonesian for 'good', showing her enjoying the sun, surf, and atmosphere of the famous tourist destination with female friends.
The holiday featured all the hallmarks of a perfect Balinese retreat. Chapman and her friends stayed in a luxury villa in Uluwatu, explored the island on mopeds, visited scenic beaches, attended a surf school, and relaxed at a bar on Padang Padang Beach with its famous white sand.
This tropical escape provided much-needed respite for the athlete, who has repeatedly demonstrated her strength in overcoming both physical injuries and personal turmoil throughout a remarkably challenging year.
