Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley separated from wife Tania

Nathan Buckley and Tania Buckley have confirmed they’ve called it quits after 18 years of marriage. Here’s how it all unfolded.

Nathan and Tania Buckley have been separated since January. Picture: Supplied

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley and wife Tania have separated.

The high-profile AFL couple, who have been married for 18 years, are working together amicably to focus on co-parenting their two young boys Ayce, 12, and Jett, 14.

Both Nathan and Tania Buckley released a joint statement to Page 13 on Friday saying they had mutually decided to separate in January.

The pair have been married for 18 years.

“It has been a tough and challenging year for every family and for ours included,” the statement said.

“It is with the utmost love and respect for each other and a true commitment to our sons, that we have made a decision to separate in January.

The Buckleys said they were focusing on co-parenting their boys and asked for privacy as they moved forward.

“We remain dedicated parents and in the interests of our boys, we ask for our family to be given the privacy that is needed.”

“We thank everyone in advance for understanding our request and for the unconditional love and support we have received throughout our marriage.”

The pair have said they remain amicable to co-parent their two boys.

This mutual support was evident when Tania Buckley last week posted a picture of the family dining out together at famed French bistro France-Soir on Toorak Rd to celebrate her 48th birthday, saying “it couldn’t get any better”.

“Bucks” is one of the most celebrated players to grace the game, mostly with Collingwood, winning the Brownlow Medal and club’s best and fairest six times and named in Collingwood’s Team of the Century.

Nathan and Tania on their wedding day in 2002.

A premiership still eludes the former Pies skipper turned coach who has been staying at a South Yarra apartment owned by good friend Paul Roberts, a sports executive at agency TLA.

The pad has served many heartbroken AFL types.

Geelong great Billy Brownless reportedly stayed there when his marriage with former wife Nicky Brownless was on the rocks. It’s understood James Brayshaw also spent some time living there when he was dealing with the breakdown of his marriage.

The couple married to much fanfare on New Year’s Eve in 2002.