- Former Collingwood coach and star in excellent form
- Spotted in Melbourne with partner Brodie Ryan
He hasn’t played an AFL game in 17 years, but Collingwood great Nathan Buckley looked like he could land a spot in the Magpies side as he was recently spotted with girlfriend Brodie Ryan in Melbourne.
The former Pies star and trainer was spotted having coffee with his partner in South Yarra this week, both dressed in workout gear that showed off the hard work they have put into their physiques.
Buckley and Ryan also cut great figures when they hit the red carpet for the Brownlow Medal counting in Melbourne late last month.
“I’m proud to go with him and proud of all his accomplishments, but he’s just a hottie, so I like being on his arm,” Ryan said.
“This year it will be washed very well and will be dressed by Bianca and Peter Jackson.
“There aren’t many opportunities in anyone’s life, other than a wedding day or a wedding ball, to dress up and feel like a princess for a night.”
Buckley and Ryan began dating in June 2022, and the socialite rejected any attempts to stereotype her as a football WAG.
“I am an independent woman and I am my own person,” she said in October of that year.
Nathan Buckley and his girlfriend Brodie Ryan were the picture of fitness when they stepped out in South Yarra earlier this week.
Buckley was known as one of the fittest players in the sport during his playing career and has not taken any shortcuts with his exercise regime in retirement.
“If he wasn’t who he was, we would still love to spend time together in a quiet environment and we would be in our element making dinner at home.”
“We have a very normal relationship and we intend to keep it that way.”
Their relationship followed Buckley’s split from her ex, Alex Pike, whom she began dating in early 2021 after splitting from ex-wife Tania Minnici after 18 years together.
The great Magpies television commentator was known for being one of the fittest men in the game during his playing days, and has remained in great shape since ending his 280-game AFL career in 2007.
Earlier this year, he shared some of his exercise tips ahead of the Masters Games in Alice Springs, focusing on the benefits of weightlifting.
“Throwing some iron can help prevent injuries and give you the best chance to perform,” he wrote on Instagram.
The couple turned heads on the Brownlow Medal red carpet last month.
“It all comes back to the basics…Whether you lift a little or a lot, it will help you become more robust and ready to go.”
The post featured a clip of Buckley working out his chest and biceps at the gym, and he also posted others emphasizing the importance of cardiovascular exercise on a treadmill, bike or rowing machine, as well as stretching regularly.
Last month, the 52-year-old made a harsh confession about his “disgraceful” behavior when he was among the game’s best players.
“The guy who had tears running down his cheeks was grateful that it rained periodically, because he never wanted to show weakness, he never wanted to show vulnerability,” Buckley said.
“And I think if people knew about it, they would say, ‘Err… freak.’
Buckley said he rarely asked for help, which often left him isolated, and that his attitude on and off the field was “disgraceful”.
“It was partly a protection mechanism,” he said.