- AFL legend selling over 200 football items
- Includes 2002 AFL Grand Final jersey.
AFL legend Nathan Buckley has been forced to auction off some of the best memorabilia from his brilliant football career due to his ‘traumatic divorce’.
Among the more than 200 items on offer is the champion midfielder’s grand final jersey, earned from his best on-field performance in Collingwood’s 2002 defeat against Brisbane.
The father-of-two saw his marriage to Tania Minnici end in 2020, and it has proven to be a costly exercise.
AFL legend Nathan Buckley has put some of his most prized possessions up for auction due to his ‘traumatic divorce’ from ex-wife Tania Minnici (pictured together)
Among the more than 200 items up for grabs is the champion midfielder’s AFL grand final jersey from his best on-field effort in Collingwood’s 2002 loss to Brisbane.
“It is unlikely that the Nathan Buckley Collection would have been offered for public sale if it had not been for the divorce of Nathan and his ex-wife Tania,” said auctioneer Charles Leski.
“This collection, sold under difficult circumstances, offers us a rare glimpse into the life of a sporting hero.”
It comes as the man known affectionately in football circles as ‘Bucks’ said parting ways with Tania has been arduous.
She has since found love with business manager Brodie Ryan after previously dating cosmetic nurse Alex Pike.
“The most traumatic thing that’s happened to me recently was the breakup of my marriage,” Buckley said in an interview with news corporation last September.
‘The two most important things for me were family and football.
Buckley is a Collingwood legend and played for the Magpies from 1994 to 2007.
The former Lions and Pies great has moved on with Brodie Ryan (pictured together)
“When the family element started to fall apart, my immediate family, I gave even more to football.”
Buckley added that he was grateful his AFL teammates were there to help him and said they helped him get his life back on track.
He also admitted that he is still struggling to let go of the past, as he still struggles with “a lot of emotion,” “a little bit of anger,” and “still a little bit of mourning.”