23-07-2025
Nathan Buckley's ex-girfriend Brodie Ryan makes jaw-dropping claim that 'being a WAG is harder than being a CEO' just three months after their high-profile break up
Nathan Buckley's former partner, Brodie Ryan, has spoken out about life behind the label of a WAG, claiming it can be "harder than being a CEO".
The 36-year-old business operations manager dated the 52-year-old AFL legend for three years before they publicly confirmed their split in May.
Speaking on the Smile: The Makeover Scoop podcast, Ryan defended the role of a partner in elite sport, arguing that what happens behind the scenes is far more demanding than most people realise.
"No one sees each other as a WAG," she said.
"You are a wife or a girlfriend, and you are supporting your partner. And what they do is tough for a job."
Raised in regional Victoria around Mildura and now based in Melbourne, the spiritual home of AFL, Ryan said professional athletes "need that support at home" and that criticism of WAGs often misses the mark.
"I guess a lot of the trolls out there will say they're just a WAG- they're not just a WAG," she said.
"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. That is a job within itself."
Ryan has held various roles throughout her career, including working as a dental nurse, a professional singer, and a seasonal firefighter who responded to the devastating Black Saturday fires.
She currently works as an operations manager at a security company.
However, she described how her world was turned upside down during her relationship with Buckley.
"My life completely changed. I lost all my autonomy," she said.
"Everyone knew everything about my life. I think it's really important to understand that there's a woman or a person behind that label of a WAG."
Nearly three months on from the split, Ryan said she is beginning to reconnect with herself and prioritise her own wellbeing.
"I'm having so much fun getting up and doing my walks in the morning, going to the gym, eating well. It's not a lot of lasagnes anymore," she said.
"I think I lost myself a little bit in what someone else needed in me or what I thought they needed in me because of what they were going through at the time."
Ryan first confirmed the breakup in May with a heartfelt message to her Instagram followers, addressing fans of the "Brodes and Bucks" relationship.
"Thank you for your kind messages and support over the past couple of months of heartache. I am truly grateful for your kindness and consideration," she wrote.
"After much reflection and consideration, Nath and I have decided to part ways."
Speaking to The Herald Sun in June, Ryan admitted that while "break-ups are always horrible", she was beginning to find her feet again.
"I wanted that responsibility and revelled in that of being a housewife and a little family's support, but unfortunately it didn't end the way I'd hoped," she said.
"Time heals all wounds. The heartbreak is real, but we'll both be OK."
Buckley separated from his wife Tania, with whom he shares two sons, in 2020 after 18 years of marriage.
He later dated cosmetic nurse Alex Pike for a year before that relationship ended in January 2022.
