Abbey Holmes sends her fans a message after AFL kiss raised eyebrows (2024)

Abbey Holmes has sent her fans a heartfelt message after the TV presenter sparked controversy by sharing apost-game kiss with dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale.

Brisbane Lionssuperstar Neale was interviewed by Holmes after the Lions played the Bulldogs in round 13, but it was how the interview ended that made headlines.

Holmes interviewed an exhausted Neale, with them both leaning in for a quick kiss on the cheek after their chat was over.

The pair, who are friends off the pitch, have since sparked debate over whether the kiss was inappropriate or not, with some commentators believing it crossed a boundary.

Holmes took to social media on Tuesday evening to thank her fans for all their support.

'Always focused. Thanks for the love this week people. I've heard you,' she posted to Instagram.

Holmes' followers were quick to respond with words of encouragement.

'You are incredible at your job and a standout human,' replied Emma Hawkins, wife of Geelong superstar Tom Hawkins.

'Was horrified at the reaction to a peck on the cheek between friends,' wrote another.

'Ignore the media. Keep doing you girl,' replied a third.

Speaking on Channel 9 on Monday morning for Bank of Queensland's 'Vehicle for Kindness' campaign, Neale said: 'The fact that it's been brought up a week later is a little bit strange. I didn't really know about it until the other day. It's sort of come as a bit of a surprise.'

Holmes, a former AFLW player, also responded on Monday, describing the reaction as 'really upsetting'.

She said thatNeale's wife, Jules, had checked in to see if she was all right following the online outcry.

'Jules Neale … sent me a message this morning saying, 'I hope you're okay — this is ridiculous',' Holmes told News Corp.

'I'm like, 'Mate, I know. Lachie's a friend of mine'.'

Holmes also spoke about the kiss on LiSTNR's 'Footy Talk' podcast, saying: 'It's really frustrating for me. Lachie is a good friend of mine, so that's just something that you do – you greet your friends.

'Whether that's a hug or a kiss on the cheek. The fact that this has been blown up out of proportion to the actual incident itself. It's really upsetting for me.

'I don't want to spend too much time on it because, to me, it is not a story. And this isn't the first time that a player who I've got a great relationship has given me a hug or given me a kiss.

'I've worked so hard over such a long period of time now to build relationships, to build trust, to build rapport with these players and coaches and make them feel like they are in a really safe space when they're with me. And that that's what probably upset me the most.

'I don't want my friends to feel uncomfortable in how they going to greet me or say goodbye to me. That's not fair. I just feel as though [it was] was taken out of proportion massively.'

Three-time premiership winning Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews also weighed in, defending them for the seemingly innocent act.

'You assume they must know each other very well,' he said on 3AW.

'Because normally you only give a kiss on the cheek to someone you know quite well, otherwise you shake their hands.

'I would shake the hands of a woman I don't know very well. The kiss on the cheek is normally for someone you know very well. I don't know how well they know each other.

'I assume they know each other very well, otherwise it's a highly unusual thing which is why we're talking about it.'

Matthews went on to say he'd never seen the move after a match before.

'It is a first. I've never seen it before. Have you ever seen it? That's why we're talking about it. It's quite an unusual one.'

Journalist Kate Halfpenny commented on the kiss in a recent column in The Age.

'The interaction was fast and not ick, but it was weird enough for my husband and I to say, 'wait, what?',' she wrote.

'This was rare, TV talent kissing or being kissed as a sign-off. You have to go back to Bec Judd swerving from Tony Jones' attempted smooch in 2016 after her last news bulletin.'

Halfpenny questioned if it was a good look to kiss friends at work.

'Still, even if they're besties 4 eva, when they're both at work is it a good look to be saying hasta manana with a kiss? For mine, it was too familiar,' she wrote.

'Place and time, people. You're drawing a wage from this chat so keep it classy, San Diego.

'Intrigued, I watched the kiss again a couple of times. Neither party seemed uncomfortable.

'The incident hasn't made waves in the media or on socials. But at a time when former Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales is facing a sexual assault trial for his creepy unsolicited kiss on World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, I think it's worth asking the kiss question.'

Footy fans online have made their thoughts known on the matter too, with split opinions on the topic.

'Highly inappropriate for the female interviewer to give Lachie Neale a kiss. What would happen if a male interviewer did it to a female. Appallingly unprofessional behaviour by the female interviewer,' posted one fan on X.

'Has Abbey Holmes stated that Lachie Neal's kiss on the cheek was inappropriate or offensive? No? Stfu and myob,' posted another.