Telling sign James Hird’s marriage to Tania was doomed long ago

It was revealed on Monday that James and Tania Hird had split after 27 years together - but there were clear signs it had been over for a while.

News of AFL legend James Hird’s 27-year marriage to wife Tania falling apart came as a shock to many, but it shouldn’t have.

The Herald Sun first reported on Monday that James and Tania hadn’t been together for the past 12 months.

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The former Essendon player is understood to have moved out of the family’s home in Melbourne where he long lived with his estranged wife, daughter and three sons.

But tellingly, Tania hadn’t been wearing her wedding ring in recent photos uploaded to the social media channels of her fashion business Tania Hird Designs.

And the reality is the break-up had long been hiding in plain sight, with the last picture of her in a wedding ring uploaded on September 15last year.

James Hird’s 27-year marriage to wife Tania has come to an end. Image: Getty

The post showed Tania modelling a white beach dress with the second picture clearly showing her wedding ring.

Following that post, several videos and pictures showed the social media personality posing in ways to not show her hands before going bold in December showing her hand either empty or with other rings on.

According to reports they are on amicable terms, but are not willing to comment on their separation.

The famous couple had endured more than their fair share of drama with Tania one of her husband’s biggest supporters throughout the Essendon supplements scandal and Hird’s subsequent off-field struggles.

The last picture uploaded to Instagram of Tania Hird in her wedding ring. Image: Instagram

Tania Hird first showed off her bare hand on November 1 to her Instagram followers. Image: Instagram

As a player from 1992 to 2007, Hird achieved it all.

The 51-year-old won AFL premierships in 1993 and 2000 and took home the Brownlow Medal in 1996.

Hird retired in 2007 after 253 games and 343 goals for the club.

After calling time on his playing career, Hird successfully took up work with a leading sports management company before becoming head coach of his beloved Bombers in 2011.

However, his initial success was halted by allegations of illegal drug and supplement use by his players.

It quickly turned into one of the biggest scandals in the history of Australian sport as 34 players were found guilty on appeal of taking performance-enhancing drugs across the 2012 AFL season.

James Hird is an Essendon legend. Photo by Michael Klein

Hird was suspended from Essendon in August 2013 for 12 months, following the scandal which largely revolved around the banned peptide Thymosin-4, used at the club.

But despite the intense scrutiny and pressure his wife stuck by his side through it all.

However, after nearly two decades together they have decided to go their separate ways.

The Hirds are the latest high-profile split to rock the AFL world with fellow coaches Damien Hardwick, Nathan Buckley and Simon Goodwin having separated from their wives in recent years.