Tess Crosley was thrust into the spotlight as the ‘other woman’ in the scandal that ended AFL star Lachie Neale’s marriage and his captaincy of the Brisbane Lions.
But the Daily Mail can reveal that, prior to her involvement in the highly publicised saga with Lachie, Tess was actually less famous sibling in her family.
Tess’s older sister Tanika Caesar is a social media star with 1.2 million followers on TikTok, where she shares trivia about history and science. She also owns a jewellery label, Caesar Archivum.
Tanika, who goes by Tani, hasn’t commented on Tess’s involvement in Lachie Neale’s split from wife Jules – but she has previously spoken about the sisters being raised in a strict Mormon environment where bikinis were prohibited and sex before marriage was considered sinful.
It comes amid the fallout of Tess’s months-long affair with the two-time Brownlow Medal winner, which ended when Jules discovered the ‘unimaginable’ betrayal and called them both out on Instagram.
The secret relationship is believed to have been uncovered by another Lions WAG who caught the two lovers in a compromising position in a car.
This woman, who hasn’t been identified, apparently agonised over what to do, before eventually telling Jules what she had witnessed.
As the scandal dominated headlines over the Christmas break, Jules vacated the couple’s $3million former marital home in Seven Hills and returned to her home state of Western Australia with her two children Piper, four, and Freddie, one.
Tess Crosley’s older sister Tanika Caesar (right) is a social media star known for posting viral videos about history and science. (Tess is seen on the left when she used to have blonde hair)
Tess’s Mormon parents have three daughters (Tess is seen on the right, with Tanika far left)
Tanika has been unusually quiet on social media lately, with no TikTok or Instagram posts since November. However, she has previously said she and Tess are close.
Tanika’s online popularity stems from her light-hearted takes on historical events, along with unfiltered insights into her personal life.
It’s believed that Tess and Tanika have moved away from the Mormon faith as adults.
Tess spent Christmas on the Gold Coast with her son before celebrating her 30th birthday at a winery in Adelaide, posting bikini photos that are in stark contrast to the strict rules associated with her upbringing.
Meanwhile, friends suggest Tess’s affair with Lachie and the ensuing publicity are likely taking a heavy toll on her devout Mormon parents.
‘Family comes first and they will be supporting Tess but this will not be easy for them,’ a friend told the Mail.
‘Tanika also left the church, which they found very hard to come to terms with, so Tess’s situation being public will be tough.’
Tanika previously revealed the sisters’ strict upbringing meant they never missed a day of church even when sick and were judged harshly by church leaders, particularly Tess who she says was singled out for her looks.
‘She is literally a model,’ Tanika said in an old YouTube video. ‘Because of that, we were scrutinised when it came to our dress more than other girls.’
Tanika hasn’t commented on Tess’s involvement in Lachie Neale’s split from wife Jules (seen together) – but she has spoken about the sisters being raised in a strict Mormon environment
Growing up, Tess Crosley was not allowed to wear a bikini because of her strict Mormon faith
The saga of Lachie and Jules’ marriage split began days before Christmas when reports emerged suggesting the AFL glamour couple were ‘working through’ unspecified marital issues.
Jules swiftly shut down the narrative on Instagram, writing: ‘I want to make it very clear that I am not “working through” anything.
‘I have been betrayed in the most unimaginable way.’
The post triggered weeks of speculation, with Tess – a former Mormon missionary and married mother-of-one – emerging as a central figure after Jules publicly demanded she remove social media photos of her and Lachie from last year’s AFL Grand Final.
‘Take these down, you idiot, you’re embarrassing yourself,’ Jules wrote in a since-deleted comment.
Last week, reports indicated the affair was not limited to the car rendezvous, with a source telling the Mail it may have been going on for three months.
On January 2, Lachie publicly acknowledged his wrongdoing, holding a press conference in which he stepped down as co-captain of the Lions and apologised for his actions.
‘I can confirm that, with regret, Jules and I have now separated,’ he said.
‘While I won’t go into specifics, I can say that I have let my family down, and I apologise for my actions, which have hurt those closest to me – and for that, I am deeply sorry.
‘I accept that this is a consequence of my actions, and I need to focus on rebuilding that trust with Jules as the future well-being of our children remains our number one priority.
‘I’m extremely disappointed in myself, and I have put plans in place and measures in place to do the work on myself so that I can be the best version of myself moving forward.
This photo from the AFL Grand Final last year, where Tess and Lachie’s knees are touching, was the first clue something was going on between the pair
Jules and Tess used to be close friends, spending special occasions and holidays together
‘Given the personal matters that I am currently working through, I have made the decision to stand down as co-captain and from the leadership group, effective immediately.
‘Having been a leader and captain of the Lions has been an honour, but it’s time for the club to move forward with a fresh start.’
He added: ‘I understand as a public figure that there is interest in my personal life. However, I do ask [that] the privacy of Jules and my children be respected as we work through our new situation and the next chapter of our lives.’
Asked directly if he had cheated on his wife, Neale said: ‘I cannot address those rumours.’
Meanwhile, Tess’s husband Ben, a finance director, spent the New Year in Bali before returning to the marital home in Camp Hill, where he told a Mail reporter on Sunday afternoon: ‘[Tess] does not live here anymore.’
Last Tuesday, a photographer asked Tess about the affair on camera – the first time she had fielded direct questions about the scandal after limiting comments on her Instagram last month.
‘Did you want to say anything about Lachie?’ she was asked while behind the wheel of her SUV, to which she replied: ‘No, I have to make an appointment.’
‘And you’re back home with your hubby? You’re trying to work it out?’ the snapper asked. Tess answered: ‘No comment… thank you, bye, see ya!’
On the same day, the Daily Mail also spotted a sombre-looking Lachie returning to his former matrimonial home in Seven Hills to collect a few items, including a shoe box and kitchen tongs.
He is now believed to be residing alone in an apartment elsewhere in Brisbane.
