AFL star shocks social media after mystery woman makes appearance at birthday

AFL star Gary Rohan shocked his social media followers when he posted a photo of himself with a mystery woman and his children on Saturday.

An image of the Geelong Cats forward and the unknown brunette featured on his Instagram page as he celebrated the first birthday of daughter, Sadie.

In the photo, the woman could be seen holding Sadie while Rohan proudly clutches his oldest daughter Bella.

Rohan split from his wife Amie last year and was rumoured to have moved on with a young staffer at the Geelong Football Club, believed to be a physiotherapist.

The photo from footy star Gary Rohan’s Instagram which sent tongues wagging on Saturday

Amie and AFL star Gary Rohan (pictured above with daughter Bella) before they split suddenly last year

Amie Rohan described her now ex husband Gary as ‘her rock’ before they split in 2020

On April 12 in 2018, the former couple – who were childhood sweethearts – tragically lost their daughter Willow the day she was born.

Her twin Bella survived, after spending three weeks in an intensive care unit.

At the time, Amie Rohan described her now estranged husband as her ‘rock.’    

‘Gary was my rock at the time and the support network got us through,’ she said.

Gary Rohan and his ex wife Amie split last July – he then reportedly moved on with a Geelong staffer

The former couple share two daughters together – Bella (2) and Sadie (1) – they also lost Sadie’s twin Willow the day she was born

‘We were dealt a tough blow with Willow and having to be strong for Bella. But we got to meet families that were in [ICU] for months on end.’

Ms Rohan was just 12 weeks through her first pregnancy when she first learned one of her babies would not survive.

The infant was diagnosed with anencephaly, a congenital disorder in which a major part of the baby’s brain fails to develop.

She said her experience spending three weeks in ICU was ‘nothing’ compared to other families’ struggles.

‘It made me realise that there’s always someone in a worse off position,’ she said. 

The couple’s alleged marriage breakdown in July last year came just months after their daughter Sadie Rose was born in March.

Amie shared an Instagram post that read: ‘What motherhood has taught me is that I can’t be everything for everyone.

‘I’m slowly learning to outsource where I can and lean on others more to do the things I just can’t keep on top of but it’s all such a learning process,’ she added.

‘Add on top of that grief, separation anxiety and a touch of mental health struggles and it’s honestly just been really bloody hard! Baby steps though.’  

Last November, Ms Rohan shared a cryptic post about finding strength through ‘difficult days’ after her AFL star ex was rumoured to have moved on with the Geelong Cats staffer.

She uploaded a post by poet Dhiman about overcoming hurdles and not giving up.

The Rohan’s – Amie and Gary – were childhood sweethearts before going their separate ways in 2020

It read: ‘This year you have learned to trust yourself. You have seen your strength rising through your most difficult days.’

‘You have been hurt and there were days when you were falling apart but you have held onto yourself, you did not give up on your heart.

‘And despite all the hurdles on your path, you have managed to come this far.’ 

Ms Rohan also revealed to Harper’s Bazaar magazine in October 2018, that the couple made the decision to carry both babies to full term.

‘We sat down and said ”this journey has been written for us. Let’s continue on it”,’ she told the publication.

‘We had about five hours with Willow before she passed. In those five hours, I learnt so much about life and how precious it is.’