This article is featured in The Advertiser and is republished with permission.
Jules Neale’s poised online response to her AFL star husband’s apparent infidelity has won her fans the world over and it’s helping fuel an emerging “good vibes” trend being observed by legal and social media experts.
Adelaide-based social media consultant and educator Taydam Mamalis says “culturally we are seeing a shift toward composure”.
“Forward-focused content shifts the narrative from ‘what happened’ to ‘where I’m headed’ … (it) centres on growth, hope and intention … vision keeps people grounded in purpose rather than stuck in hurt,” she says.
Jane Fox, head of family law at DBH Lawyers, adds emerging trends fall as two dominant themes, positive or “good vibes”, such as Jules’, which focus on those making the posts, and negative or “bad vibes”, which typically focus on the ex-partner.
“The ‘good vibes’ (are about) celebrating a new life, highlighting new starts and positivity about overcoming challenges and focus on the poster,” she says.
Dubbed the “Jules Neale-style standard”, the mother of two’s new-age “quiet revenge” sits in contrast with bitter real-life scenarios some of our top family lawyers vividly recall, such as a woman who would turn the hose on her ex-husband each time he came to collect their child and a scorned woman who gave up her husband’s dog to the RSPCA without his knowledge.
Another lawyer tells of an ex-partner who spray-painted in fluoro pink and glitter their former partner’s beloved and extensive collection of military figures, painstakingly painted by hand to be historically accurate.
Jules’ response on social media to the collapse of her marriage to dual Brownlow Medallist and former Brisbane Lions co-captain Lachie Neale has been widely lauded for its “firm, public and independent stance … emphasised on healing”.
She got on the front foot in December, to end speculation she and Lachie were “working through” issues as a couple.
“I want to make it very clear that I am not ‘working through’ anything. I have been betrayed in the most unimaginable way. All I can do now is try to heal and do what’s best for my children,” she wrote, referring to what would emerge as Neale’s alleged affair with her close friend Tess Crosley, whose husband Ben is believed to be a Rostrevor College old scholar.
Jules moved with the couple’s young children to her hometown of Perth and marked the new year with a 2026 “vision board”, celebrating family, friends and moving forward.
Her posts have been consistently subtle with music or captions targeted to make a quiet point, including responding to someone else’s comment about “not understanding how they could do that”, by simply stating: “Exactly, what a blessing not to,” alongside a heart-hands emoji.
Her positive approach has garnered support from personalities and sporting WAGS such as Adelaide-born model and former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers (who referenced “Queen things”) and Emma Hawkins, the wife of former Geelong star Tom Hawkins.
Significantly, she’s now been signed by talent agency One Daydream, founded by Pru Corrigan who has praised Jules’ content as having a “polished yet effortless feel”.
SA social media guru Mrs Mamalis, who won’t comment specifically on Jules’ posts, says: “Calm communication often generates more respect than emotional retaliation, whether advised or intuitive, restraint communicates confidence; there’s power in not needing to explain everything.”
Legal expert Ms Fox observes people are increasingly seeking to use social media to tell their “side to the story”.
“Posts can be in all forms including inspirational memes, songs written about exes, links to articles that relate to an ex’s behaviour and also direct attacks on former spouses,” she says.
“If those ‘good vibes’ posts make (Jules) feel good and she likes the support that is garnered by the posts – then she should go for it.”
But Ms Fox still urges caution.
“At the end of the day … there is much to be said for private and family matters remaining private ... especially when there are children involved – sometimes not saying anything at all can be the best approach,” she says.
Australian Psychological Society Dr Zena Burgess agrees.
“Separations can be incredibly complicated ... it is understandable that some people will seek to process their break-up distress, by sharing their thoughts, feelings and experiences online – a sense of injustice, powerlessness, and a need to feel you are restoring a moral order may lead you to use social media for this purpose,” she says.
“(But) before posting, it may be helpful to ask yourself, ‘What am I hoping to achieve by posting details of my separation online ... am I seeking validation, or just to have my feelings heard?’.”
Adelaide’s Bev Clark has worked with thousands of clients in her more than 35 years as a top family lawyer, saying she’s “seen it all”, including “some horrible things”.
The director at Clark Panagakos Family says while social media use – and the way people may choose to portray themselves on it – is now prolific, people haven’t changed.
“I appreciate that we see good people at the worst time of their life and so sometimes their actions are driven at a time of high emotion, where the thinking part of their brain has disengaged and their emotions are in the driver’s seat,” she says.
“When we see clients in that state we work hard to counsel them to think carefully before they do anything they may regret ... sadly, it’s sometimes too late by the time we see them and they have already acted badly.
“If they are the party who has experienced the bad behaviour, it’s important that we don’t add to the problem by demonising the other side, as we don’t want to fuel the war.
“The reality is there are vindictive people who sadly hate their ex more than they love their kids – or they just are childish and punishing in their approach to life... thankfully they are the exception and not the norm.”
Some instances of exes behaving badly throughout her career include:
“I’VE seen a truck load of furniture be delivered as per a court order and every single piece was broken.”
“YEARS ago, I acted for a man who came out as gay after he had been married and had children; when the parties separated, the wife and her family delivered letters to neighbours of my client for several streets telling them he was a pedophile and their children weren’t safe living in proximity to him.
He found out how far she had spread the letters when he reported it to the local police station only to discover they already knew about it, because an officer who lived ‘streets away’ got one in his letter box.”
“A MOTHER who agreed to allow her daughters with her ex-husband to be flower girls at his wedding to his new partner, let them go to all their dress fittings ... but then didn’t let the girls go to the wedding.”
“ONE man sent the photos of him and the ex-wife having sex to everyone on the wife’s contact list, including her boss.”
“IN one case, the husband was entitled to have the house transferred to him under the court order and he turned up to move back in after settlement to find all the light fittings had been cut off – just bare wires were hanging – while the oven was removed as was the built-in microwave. Multiple windows were also broken.”
“I’VE seen one lady lay out all her sex toys and paraphernalia when the husband was attending their former home with a third party observer to create a list of furniture he wanted ... transferred to him.”
“I’VE been involved in a case where the wife’s father came after the husband’s father with a shotgun – because his son had left his daughter.”
“ONE man whose wife remained in the house with all their belongings found she had thrown out multiple sentimental items of his like his childhood photos, precious collectable items of no monetary value but important to him.”