AFL great Nathan Buckley and girlfriend Brodie Ryan split
Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley and his partner Brodie Ryan have announced some sad news after “months of heartache”.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley has split from his girlfriend of three years Brodie Ryan.
Business manager Ryan, 36, shared the news on her Instagram stories on Tuesday evening in a post addressed to “the followers of the ‘Brodes and Bucks’ journey”.
“After much reflection and consideration, Nath and I have decided to part ways,” she said. “This decision was not made lightly, and we are grateful for the time we shared, the memories we created, and the support we received from each other.”
In Ryan’s lengthy post, she also thanked supporters for their kind messages “over the past couple of months of heartache”, and said she will always have respect for Nathan and “a lot of love for him and his boys and our beautiful dog Tank”.
Buckley, 52, did not share the same message to his social media platforms.
Last month Ryan said her goal for this year was to focus on herself, telling the Herald Sun, “Focusing on mental health and the stable lifestyle that I’m used to, and doing things that make me happy. That’s my plan for 2025 … to focus on me.”
She has recently returned to work from an extended travel break.
The pair, who met in 2022 and have a 16-year age gap, were seen together at the Glamour on the Grid event during the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix in March.
AFL legend Buckley separated from his wife Tania Buckley, with whom he shares two children, in 2020 and in a candid interview a few years later referred to his marriage breakdown as “the most traumatic thing that’s happened to me recently”.
“Whilst it was a bloody tough period, I learnt a lot about being more open, being more vulnerable and that I actually couldn’t hold it all in,” he told the Herald Sun.
“At the same point, my footy family, and then close friends, just rose to the surface. I’d never really understood the absolute value of friendship until I had nowhere else to turn, and I needed them.”
More Coverage
Originally published as AFL great Nathan Buckley and girlfriend Brodie Ryan split
AFL blindsided as third alleged Rioli threat emerges
It’s been revealed that the AFL’s decision not to hand down a punishment to Willie Rioli was made without the knowledge of previous alleged threats to players as a third incident emerges.
Clarko called out over ‘embarrassing’ move
One of the AFL’s most outspoken commentators has taken a big swing at North Melbourne and laid the blame over its Kane Cornes move.