"Crazy world" - AFL legend Nathan Buckley reveals he had to buy back his medals after they were auctioned as part of his divorce

Nathan Buckley has been having a rough year. He has publicly expressed his devastation at being forced to sell much of his AFL memorabilia as part of his divorce from his ex-wife Tania.

Nathan and Tania were the AFL’s most cherished couple in the early 2000s, but their relationship unfortunately ended in 2020 after 18 years of marriage.

On Thursday, it came to public notice that Buckley would have to auction off much of his AFL memorabilia (more than 200 items) due to the divorce. He has managed to buy back some of his prized possessions, including his Norm Smith and Brownlow medals. But these are merely a handful compared to the dozens of other memorabilia he still has to sell. An auctioneer commented to the Daily Mail, saying:

“It’s unlikely the Nathan Buckley collection would have been offered for the divorce of Nathan and his former wife Tania.”

Buckley set his hopes on passing down some of his memorabilia to his two sons and the AFL and Collingwood. In an interview with the Herald Sun, Buckley said:

“You do collect a bit of stuff from a lifetime in the game and these items are the sum of the last 30 years in footy. Thankfully, I was able to, in effect, buy back my medals after they were valued.

"It’s a crazy world. I’ve never viewed these items as commodities and thought that, in the fullness of time, they would be returned to the clubs or institutions I represented at the time. I do still hope this transpires.”

Buckley’s highly decorated career in the AFL spanned from 1994 to 2007. He played 260 games for Collingwood and 20 for the Brisbane Bears. After playing for Collingwood, he coached the team from 2012 to 2021, winning 117 games with 99 losses and two draws.

Prices for the items in the sale ranged from 50 to 5,000 dollars and the total value of the items is estimated at $200,000. The couple’s Tourak mansion is also on sale for $18 million. They purchased the property for 4 million dollars in 2007.

Nathan Buckley reveals the trauma he’s faced due to the divorce

In an interview with Channel 7 personality Hamish McLachlan, Nathan Buckley described his divorce as “the most traumatic thing that’s happened to him.”

“I’ve learned things about myself in the last five years that I didn’t know. I’ve unpacked a lot.”

“The most traumatic thing that’s happened to me recently was my marriage breaking down. The two most important things to me were family and footy. That was pretty much me. And when the family element started breaking down, my immediate family, I leaned on football even more than I had before,” said Nathan Buckley.

The 51-year-old Nathan Buckley has set about rebuilding his life and though the future is uncertain, he is confident that fortune will yet again shine on him.