‘Harder than being CEO': AFL ex's bold claim about WAG life
Following the high-profile pair's split a few months ago, Ryan has spoken out about the hardships of keeping up the glamorous lifestyle of being in a relationship with a sportsman - which has fallen on deaf ears.
Becoming an AFL WAG, wife and girlfriend, has become a dream job for many women with low ambition in recent years.
The 36-year-old, who works as a business manager, compared dating the 52-year-old to being the chief executive of a company.
'What they do is tough for a job, so you need that support at home. And I guess a lot of the trolls out there will say they're just a WAG — they're not just a WAG,' she told the Herald Sun. Brodie Ryan's claim seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Credit: Instagram
'They work really hard at home, and they look after a home, which is hard.
'Sometimes I would say, seeing my mum do it, seeing my friends do it, being a stay at home mum and keeping a home and supporting an AFL footballer would be harder than being a CEO of a company.'
Buckley and Ryan first met in 2022, a year after the Collingwood legend's coaching career had already come to an end. Brodie Ryan and Nathan Buckley. Credit: Instagram
Despite her claims of hardship, the comments were not received well online — with people online flooding the comments with criticism towards the former WAG.
'Boo hoo. Harder than a CEO. You have no idea how people without money survive,' one comment said.
'Such a hard life....' another said sarcastically, while a third added: 'These poor WAGS have no idea'.
'Well when the notion that footballers are hero's and do brilliant things like kick a football I could imagine how stressful it would be to clean snot of a kids face,' one pointed out.
One Aussie claimed it was a stretch to call Ryan a WAG considering Buckley had been long retired, saying 'I wouldn't exactly call her a wag, more like the rebound relationship after Buckley split with his wife Tanya!'
'Does she know what actual work was,' another said. Nathan Buckley and Tania. Credit: Tania Buckley/Instagram / supplied
The AFL Hall of Famer was previously married to Tania Buckley for 18 years, until their split in 2020 —which the 2003 Brownlow Medallist told the Herald Sun was 'the most traumatic thing that's happened to me recently.'
Between Tania and Ryan, Buckley had a one year relationship with cosmetic nurse Alex Pike.
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