'He upgraded': Nadia Bartel details nasty fallout from marriage breakdown

Nadia Bartel has opened up about dealing with some of the nasty fallout from her split with former Geelong star Jimmy.

The mother-of-two opened up in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph’s ‘Stellar’ magazine over the weekend, breaking her silence on the marriage breakdown.

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Nadia and Jimmy announced their separation in August last year after five years of marriage.

The Geelong Cats great has since moved on with new girlfriend Lauren Mand.

“This is never what I thought would happen,” Nadia told ‘Stellar’.

The business owner and fashion designer said she’s had to deal with some horror trolling online, with social media users saying Jimmy had ‘upgraded’.

“Being from Melbourne, football is so big here,” she said. “I was used to the negative attention I get in my situation. I do put things on social media, so I've put myself out there...

“(But) I was at the hardest point in my life and then to have articles written that weren't true, and to have hundreds of hate (comments) on Instagram and the continual pounding ... it was difficult.

“Just because (you) date or are married to a sportsperson, people think you're fair game; you can say whatever you want. If you look at any other industry, do you critique their partner like that?”

But rather than get bogged down by the hate, Nadia said she’s focusing on sons Aston, 4, and Henley, 1.

"I want to continue to be the best mum and role model for my sons,” she said.

“They are amazing and such a gift, and I want them to have a really happy childhood. I plan to do everything I can to make that happen for them.”

Calls to announce AFL return date ASAP

Meanwhile, Damien Hardwick would be prepared to take Richmond to an interstate hub in order to reboot the AFL season.

The Tigers' dual premiership coach admits it has been difficult to navigate training schedules without an official end date for the competition's coronavirus shutdown in sight.

But he believes the defending premiers could be up and running for competitive matches with as little as two weeks' serious training.

“As long as everyone's off the same start point, I think we'll be OK,” Hardwick told ABC's Offsiders on Sunday.

“I can't see us going into a three or four-week training block to start the season.

“I think our players would (need) two weeks maybe and then get the game up and going.”

The AFL is considering all states and territories as possible bases for isolation hubs as it attempts to restart the 2020 season after putting it on hold last month.

Clubs would likely be kept in hubs for a minimum of six weeks, which could consist of a three-week training block and three weeks of matches.

Most states have already declared their interest in hosting a hub, with Queensland and Western Australia both firming as potential bases after announcing on Sunday that some restrictions would be lifted in the coming week.

But WA Premier Mark McGowan declared the state will not pay to lure the AFL after showing its commitment to the competition already through the building of Optus Stadium.

Leading football figures in New South Wales and South Australia have pushed their states' cases, while interest in using Tasmania as a base has seemingly cooled.

“I think we just want to get the game up and going and we're prepared to do (anything),” Hardwick said of the prospect of moving his team interstate for an extended period of time.

“This is me speaking. We haven't had the real conversation with our players as such because a lot will depend on the AFLPA and their decision-making.”

with AAP