Friend of Tess Crosley weighs in on her ‘endless harassment’ after her affair with Lachie Neale ruined his marriage

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Following the scandal involving Lachie and Jules Neale, a friend of Tess Crosley has publicly come to her defense with a surprising statement.

Over the Christmas holidays, 30-year-old Jules became embroiled in a public scandal when she announced her divorce from AFL player Lachie, 32, and accused a former friend of being responsible.

Lyle Mercer, a public relations consultant in Brisbane, used LinkedIn this week to argue that Crosley was receiving unfair media attention and asked the media to respect his privacy.

I recognize the important job journalists do and the value of a free press. However, the media also has a responsibility to remember that their reporting can seriously and negatively affect the lives of people who are unexpectedly in the spotlight.

He clarified that he doesn’t officially represent Tess Crosley or her family, and he isn’t receiving any payment from anyone involved.

‘I simply know Tess on a personal level and have seen the effects of recent media coverage on her.’

Mercer explained that the intense media attention had been very difficult for Crosley emotionally, and that the reporting about her after the scandal felt like a violation of her privacy.

He stated that Tess is a private individual and it’s unacceptable that media photographers have been tracking her for over three months – following her at home, while she’s at the gym, when she’s shopping, and even during family visits between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Every time a story about her appears in the media, it’s a serious breach of her privacy. This also sparks increased online harassment and threats, making her feel even more unsafe.

Mercer stated he felt the media coverage had become harassment, and that his client hadn’t sought attention. This was despite photos from January – when the scandal was at its peak – showing Crosley smiling and seemingly enjoying the cameras.

‘She did not ask for this publicity or create it, and has made no public comment,’ he said.

‘Tess has a right to live her life as she chooses, and a right to privacy and protection.’

Although Crosley hasn’t officially commented on the situation, she posted a vague message back in February suggesting there was more to the story than people knew.

She captioned the photos: ‘There is always another story, there is more than meets the eye.’ 

In March, Crosley posted a revealing series of selfies on social media, then quickly deactivated her account.

She also joined the dating app Raya and playfully listed her job as ‘mammii’ on her profile.

The advertisement featured several attractive photos of her, including one where she was wearing a bikini and blonde wig.

I remember when everything started becoming public last year. It was shocking when Jules directly told Tess to stop making a fool of herself, and then she just wiped all the pictures of Lachie, the former co-captain of the Brisbane Lions, from her Instagram. It felt like a clear sign something was going on.

By January 2, amid intense media scrutiny, Lachie had stepped down as co-captain of the Lions.

He told reporters he was sorry for disappointing his family and for the pain his actions had caused them, but didn’t offer details.

‘For that, I am deeply sorry.’

I understand this is a result of what I did, and my priority now is to earn back Jules’ trust. Our children’s happiness is the most important thing.

Jules reportedly found out about the affair when another wife and girlfriend of a Brisbane player saw Lachie and Tess together in a car.

The wife shared what she’d seen with Jules after first telling a friend within the Lions’ group.

Nearly a month later, on January 18th, the Daily Mail had a short conversation with Ben Crosley, seeking to understand the status of his marriage, while he was at the couple’s home in Camp Hill.

‘She does not live here anymore,’ was all he would say.

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2026-04-02 05:20