Ex-wife's telling act after Nathan Buckley's exit from Collingwood
Nathan Buckley's ex-wife Tania has paid a classy tribute to the former Collingwood coach after his final game in charge of his beloved Magpies.
The Magpies delivered the perfect farewell gift to departing coach Buckley last weekend, scoring a rousing 17-point win over the ladder-leading Demons at the SCG.
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The remarkable victory came after an emotional week in which Collingwood announced that Buckley would depart after 10 years at the helm.
Buckley's departure also comes amid a tumultuous 12 months for the 48-year-old, who announced last December that he had separated from wife Tania.
But there doesn't appear to be any ill-will between Buckley and his ex-wife, with Tania paying tribute to Nathan after his final game.
Tania commented “So Proud” and posted a love heart emoji on a video tribute uploaded to Instagram by the Magpies on Thursday.
Nathan and Tania released a joint statement in December confirming their split after 18 years of marriage.
“It has been a tough and challenging year for every family and for ours included,” the statement said.
“It is with the utmost love and respect for each other and a true commitment to our sons, that we have made a decision to separate in January.”
Nathan and Tania have sons Jett, 14, and Ayce, 12 together.
Buckley has since moved on with cosmetic nurse Alex Pike, who also seemed to reference his departure from Collingwood last week.
Posting three quotes to social media, Pike wrote: “As we let go of adventures no longer meant for us we are brought new ones aligned with our magic.”
She also posted: “Surround yourself with people who push you to do and be better.
“No drama or negativity. Just higher goals and higher motivation. Good times and positive energy. No jealousy or hate.
“Simply bringing out the absolute best in each other.”
She also wrote: “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments but what is woven into the lives of others.”
Nathan Buckley gets perfect farewell gift from Collingwood
Buckley approached his final days as Collingwood coach with such a sense of calmness that it unnerved those around him.
The relaxed strategy before tackling ladder-leading Melbourne worked, with the Magpies causing one of the upsets of the season to send Buckley off on a high.
The Magpies legend walked off the ground for the final time representing his beloved club, flanked by sons Ayce and Jett, with a loud 'Collingwood' chant echoing around the stadium.
It was fitting that a career that has been punctuated by heartbreak, most notably grand final losses as a player in 2002 and 2003 and in 2018 as coach, finished with an against-the-odds victory.
"It's probably a little bit unnerving for the people around me because the expectation was that things were going to be different and change," Buckley responded to being asked if he approached the game any different than normal.
"I just really wanted to see us get the job done. I felt quite centred and calm for the whole week.
"I understand and appreciate the reality of the situation and was really looking forward to this opportunity for the boys to take another step."
with AAP
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