Further details about the contents of the Brisbane Lions’ leaked group chat have emerged, with ‘compromising photos’ confirmed to be at the centre of the saga.
A crisis meeting was staged on Good Friday involving the club’s leadership group to address the fallout of the team’s end-of-season trip to Las Vegas.
The meeting addressed ‘rifts’ that unfolded in Sin City, with the travelling party of about 10 people comprised mostly of players, News Corp reported.
It is understood one member of the travelling group accidentally uploaded the WhatsApp chat to iCloud on his phone.
That person’s partner then accessed the chat back home in Australia, allegedly revealing what the players were up to overseas.
Photos have since emerged of the team’s end of season trip on social media. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that any of the players pictured in this article are involved in the reported fallout from the Vegas trip.
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A series of compromising photos have been confirmed to be at the centre of the saga
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Some Lions players flew home to Australia with their relationships in damage control
On Saturday evening, The Courier Mail confirmed that a series of ‘compromising photos’ were at the centre of the scandal.
Some players reportedly flew home to Australia with their relationships in damage control – with at least one big-name player now single as a result of the drama.
Veteran AFL reporter Caroline Wilson confirmed on 3AW Radio that some players departed the end of season trip early.
‘Some photographs – nothing hugely incriminating – but some photographs that partners weren’t happy about might have accidentally been sent home,’ Wilson said.
‘Some players went home early as a result of this and at least one key player and his partner have [since] broken up.
‘Whether that was purely because of what happened on the trip or not I don’t know.
‘It is also true that some players were not happy that they might have been exposed.
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One big-named player has split with his partner because of the photos. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that these players are involved in the reported fallout from the Vegas trip
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The Brisbane Lions have had a stuttering start to the AFL season
‘Danny Daly, the head of footy at the Lions, as a result of the reporting and the rumours on Monday called [co-captain] Harris Andrews and he called Lachie Neale and he said, “look you have to come clean with me is there anything in this? Is there a split in the playing group, are people blueing?”
‘The two leaders vehemently denied this.’
Lions chief executive Greg Swann also insisted the playing group remains united.
‘Is there a split in a group?’ Well, no there isn’t,’ Swann said.
‘It’s just bulls***. There’s no split in the group. This [trip] was in November, by the way. It’s not the reason we’re going no good.
‘It’s just that a few of our good blokes are out of form.
‘We asked all the leaders again and they said, “No, there’s nothing in it at all” in terms of a split in the group.’
After a season-opening loss to Carlton, Lions superstar Neale erupted with an uncharacteristic outburst as he accused some players of ‘sh***ing’ on their teammates.
‘[There was] a little bit of selfishness… we probably chose some easy options,’ he said after the Blues came roaring back from a big deficit to win.
‘We didn’t dig in and basically, you’re sh***ing on your teammates.’
After the defeat to Collingwood on Thursday night – Brisbane’s third on the trot – coach Chris Fagan admitted they were in a ‘little slump’ and it was his job to help his players rediscover their game day magic.
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Lions players pictured leaving the pitch after their loss to Collingwood
He also conceded the answer to their shocking form is ‘not obvious.’
‘Some of our players are not at their best at the moment; I can’t explain to you why,’ he said.
‘That’s sport for you. ‘It’s a good challenge. You talk to them about what they’re good at, reinforce that.
‘Form comes and goes. So it’s just positivity, but honesty as well. They’ve been good players, we won’t be pushing the panic button.
‘I’ve trusted them a long time and they’ve delivered, so I’m not going to jump off them just because we’ve lost three in a row.’
