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Which AFL star’s cheating wife is the talk of the school gate? Plus, billionaire targeted in shocking Mykonos robbery – and the brutal aftermath of The Hammer’s sex tape leak: THE GROUP CHAT

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Greetings! Step into my virtual living room, where I am Lucy Manly, your go-to guide in Australia’s vibrant social scene. Here, you’ll find exclusive insights and tidbits, straight from the source, before they become headlines. Let’s stay ahead of the curve together in The Group Chat!

Hammer time

I can’t say I’m the most popular girl in NRL circles right now. 

Last week’s report, exposing that Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, the Dolphins’ fullback, was entangled in a scandalous sex tape incident with a woman who wasn’t his girlfriend Jaime Chapman, shook up Queensland’s Origin team significantly.

Although they managed to defeat New South Wales in the final match on July 9, I’ve learned that both the Maroons and Tabuai-Fidow’s team experienced a great deal of stress due to everything leading up to the game.

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Consider giving some sympathy to Chapman, who is widely recognized as a leading figure in the women’s competition and a representative of the NSW Blues. It appears she was taken by surprise.

On July 3, I disclosed that there was a video revealing a professional soccer player, aged 23 and nicknamed The Hammer, engaging in a consensual sexual act with a woman he met at the Su Casa nightclub in Brisbane. Afterward, he took her to his residence in Redcliffe.

Following the conclusion of this year’s Origin trilogy, I embarked on a journey to Redcliffe Peninsula, the abode of the Dolphins, in search of the man in question, aiming to uncover the response to the question that was on everyone’s mind.

Why’d you get the camera out, buddy?

After wrapping up a lengthy five-hour workout, I had the chance to quickly connect with Tabuai-Fidow at Kayo Stadium.

In a commendable manner, he neither shut the door on me harshly nor displayed rudeness beyond what was necessary. However, it was almost as if his spirit vanished at that very instant when I mentioned the specific action we were discussing.

In a slightly smug manner, he subtly confirmed the existence of the tape without explicitly admitting or denying anything, preferring instead to remain silent about it.

It’s clear enough since there was no necessity for him to do so. The visible tattoos in the video, like the notable one of a crowned bear on his right thigh, spoke for themselves.

Based on reports from reliable sources, it’s known that the video was recorded on June 7, a day when Chapman was attending camp with her NRLW team, the Gold Coast Titans, away from her usual location.

Neither Tabuai-Fidow nor Chapman have made any public comments regarding the tape, however, sources close to the situation claim that the video served as the decisive factor in the breakup of the influential football duo.

Now, there’s an interesting postscript to this story.

Later that evening, I got a phone call from Dolphins’ media representative Trad McLean (you got it, Trad). He appeared to be carrying quite a load on his mind.

During our conversation, I unintentionally referred to him as Trent instead of his real name. Later, he harshly criticized my door-knock approach, labeling it as “disgusting” and “poor form.”

Or, more informally:

I mixed up his name during our chat and called him Trent by mistake. When I knocked on his door later, he was far from pleased, calling my approach both “disgusting” and “poor form” in a stern reprimand.

Instead of saying “I subtly advised him to channel his anger towards players acting improperly in front of the camera instead of the journalists who were just doing their work,” you could also say: “I politely recommended that he focus his frustration on the misbehaving players on camera, rather than the reporters simply doing their jobs.” This revised sentence keeps the original meaning intact while making it more accessible and natural to read.

Red’s requiem

A large number of prominent individuals from Perth high society attended a heartfelt goodbye event for Eileen ‘Red’ Bond, a well-known matriarch known for her undying elegance and unwavering loyalty. Eileen was the first wife of the cherished swindler Alan Bond.

A large number of acquaintances from Western Australia’s commercial and political sectors, as well as friends and family, gathered at St Patrick’s Basilica in Fremantle, the place where Red spent her childhood and adult years. Regrettably, she passed away earlier this month at the age of 87 following a stroke.

Recognized by her elder son John Bond for her flaming red hair and equally passionate personality, Red was often described using four standout traits: devotion, familial ties, friendships, and joyous times together.

Amongst the church benches, I found myself in the esteemed company of my ‘auto-royalty’ cousin John Hughes, ex-premier Richard Court, Perth socialites Joanna and Tony Millard (heirs to a car dealership), and an illustrious gathering of Bond family members. Among them were Olivia, a renowned diamond dealer, and Kate, the wives of Jeremy and Banjo Bond’s grandchildren, who have ventured into loungewear design. Quite the gathering indeed!

But Red wasn’t just old-money sparkle; she was a footy diehard through and through.

For several decades, Red has been a devoted supporter and held the top spot as season ticket holder for South Fremantle. She seldom failed to attend a match on Saturdays if she was within reach of the stadium.

Indeed, the distinctive red cloak of the girl from Fremantle could be seen one final time, gracefully covering her customary chair, adorned with blooms.

It was a fitting send-off for a woman who managed to blend high society with hometown heart.

The self-absorbed city of Perth, infamous for its charlatans and misfortunates (and I’m sure you’re included among them, ladies!), will not easily let go of her memory.

Bling ring hits billionaire

Just as we were preparing for The Group Chat to start, a reliable insider shared some exciting news that simply couldn’t be held back until morning.

It’s reported that during his visit to Mykonos, tech billionaire Laurence Escalante experienced misfortune on his first night as thieves broke into his luxury villa while he was socializing with a group of young women, whom he had invited especially for the event.

In a brazen heist, the thieves made off with Escalante’s high-end watch collection, expensive designer garments, piles of cash, and assorted personal items from his guests – an estimated haul totaling several hundred thousand dollars.

Based on information from our island informant, it appears that Escalante was previously seen displaying his expensive Richard Mille watch designed by Pharrell Williams, valued at approximately $1 million, during a party at the elite beach club, Scorpios.

Ironically, that was only piece of bling the thieves didn’t get their hands on.

Escalante, creator of the multibillion-dollar online gaming empire Virtual Gaming Worlds, finds himself enraged yet opting to remain on the island. For now, it appears that any festivities have been postponed.

For the eight young women he’s entertaining, it’s a setback as they temporarily paused their regular work lives to attend social events spanning various European cities.

Turns out, what happens in Mykonos doesn’t always stay in Mykonos.

The (sushi) boys are back 

If you survived the Sydney fusion trend of 2019, it’s likely that you’re familiar with the name Kyle Stagoll.

He played a significant role as both co-owner, manager, and passionate advocate for SASH, a brief-lived fusion restaurant specializing in sushi-pizza. Despite its short lifespan, it managed to creatively combine seaweed, raw salmon, and mozzarella into an extraordinary – though arguably inedible – culinary adventure.

Now, Kyle has resumed his operations, but instead of offering spicy tuna flatbreads, he’s now promoting a path towards “financial independence”.

Oh, dear.

As a “cryptocurrency trader holding a finance and economics degree,” as described on his Instagram, this proponent of Bitcoin is promoting crypto classes with an intense, repetitive style reminiscent of many popular videos on TikTok.

If you’re a person who could potentially be swayed to invest in these so-called gurus with their seemingly enticing offers, let me offer some guidance: If an opportunity appears excessively beneficial, it might well be overly optimistic or even misleading.

It’s worth mentioning that it’s unusual for prosperous traders like Kyle to have to sell training courses as additional income. This doesn’t imply, of course, that he is being dishonest in any way.

It turns out that, just like Kyle, my old business partner Dave Nelson is utilizing Instagram to guide individuals toward financial prosperity with his ‘artificial intelligence-driven wealth management’ – essentially, I’m not entirely sure what that entails either.

The overconfident duo’s eatery in Surry Hills endured merely 3 months before it was forced into bankruptcy, accumulating debts of approximately $436,000. The owners attributed their misfortune to excessive wages, high rental costs, a decrease in consumer spending, and UberEats as significant contributing factors.

Showing extraordinary resilience, it requires a unique level of self-assurance to transform a high-profile flop into the genesis tale for your artificial intelligence company or wealth-building seminars.

If there’s anyone capable of achieving this, it’s definitely Kyle and Dave. In truth, they could even be referred to as FARTTs – that stands for “Failed at Restaurants? Try Trading.

Star’s wife plays the field 

Another footy scandal? Yes, it’s a very unusual Group Chat this week. 

In a captivating tale that has sparked whispers among the football community and the school playground alike, I am compelled to share a confidant’s revelation: The spouse of a past AFL athlete was involved in a romantic entanglement with one of the fathers at her children’s school.

It’s doubly embarrassing for this yummy mummy as she is employed at the school.

It is reported that when he found out about his wife’s additional activities, her husband became extremely upset, and as a result, informed the school about the situation.

According to a source familiar with the matter, on the final day of school, he phoned to inform about the incident and seek her dismissal.

‘Now, not only does the school know, but their kids know, too.’

The brief romance has stirred quite a commotion among the close-knit group, and it’s become the hot topic of conversation in the school parking lot as well as during weekend sports activities.

After the scandal, it seems the football pair has reconciled and appear to be content together once more, as if no incident had transpired at all, which leaves fellow parents feeling a mix of anger and intrigue.

‘It looks like a showmance to me,’ one school mum snipes.

  • The subjects of this blind item are not mentioned or pictured elsewhere in this column 

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2025-07-17 18:08

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