Billy Brownless has a new woman on his arm, but the footy legend insists she’s just a ‘friend’.
The Geelong great stepped out at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday with glamorous mother-of-four Lizzie on his arm.
The 56-year-old told the Herald Sun, ‘She’s a friend that loves tennis’.
Lizzie explained that she and Billy were pals several years ago and ‘recently rekindled a friendship’.
The pair certainly looked friendly as they sipped champagne together at a table at a Piper-Heidsieck event at the tennis.
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 1 Billy Brownless has a new woman on his arm, but the footy legend insists she's just a 'friend'. Pictured alongside Lizzie](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/80300417-12991157-image-a-15_1705917951201.jpg)
Billy Brownless has a new woman on his arm, but the footy legend insists she’s just a ‘friend’. Pictured alongside Lizzie
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 3 The Geelong great stepped out at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday with glamorous mother-of-four Lizzie on his arm](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/80300419-12991157-image-a-16_1705917956357.jpg)
The Geelong great stepped out at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Monday with glamorous mother-of-four Lizzie on his arm
Lizzie stunned in a floral gown with a cut out at the waist that showed off some skin, paired with cream trainers.
Billy cuddled up close to Lizzie for photos, beaming as he placed his arm around her waist.
The former footballer has reportedly split from his former girlfriend, Justine.
The couple had been together for over a year, celebrating their anniversary in May last year, with the Herald Sun reporting they, ‘separated several months ago.’
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 5 The 56-year-old told the Herald Sun , 'She's a friend that loves tennis'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/80300423-12991157-image-a-17_1705917962020.jpg)
The 56-year-old told the Herald Sun , ‘She’s a friend that loves tennis’
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 7 Lizzie explained that she and Billy were pals several years ago and 'recently rekindled a friendship'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/80300421-12991157-image-a-19_1705917973816.jpg)
Lizzie explained that she and Billy were pals several years ago and ‘recently rekindled a friendship’
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 9 The pair certainly looked friendly as they sipped champagne together at a table at a Piper-Heidsieck event at the tennis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/80300415-12991157-image-a-20_1705917979586.jpg)
The pair certainly looked friendly as they sipped champagne together at a table at a Piper-Heidsieck event at the tennis
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 11 Lizzie stunned in a floral gown with a cut out at the waist that showed off some skin, paired with cream trainers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/80300413-12991157-image-a-21_1705917987271.jpg)
Lizzie stunned in a floral gown with a cut out at the waist that showed off some skin, paired with cream trainers
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 13 The two sat together to watch the tennis match](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/80300407-12991157-image-a-22_1705917991979.jpg)
The two sat together to watch the tennis match
It comes after Billy’s ex-wife Nicky Brownless became engaged to AFL star Garry Lyon last year.
The good news came seven years after their relationship began in scandalous circumstances.
The former Melbourne captain, 56, controversially went public with Nicky, who is the ex-wife of his close friend and former AFL Footy Show co-host Billy, in 2016.
Garry, 56, blindsided his best mate by starting a relationship with his wife of 18 years, 54, just 12 months after they separated.
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 15 The former footballer has reportedly split from his former girlfriend, Justine (left). The couple had been together for over a year, celebrating their anniversary in May last year, with the Herald Sun reporting they, 'separated several months ago'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/66955213-12991157-Geelong_great_Billy_Brownless_has_revealed_that_things_are_going-a-23_1705918003341.jpg)
The former footballer has reportedly split from his former girlfriend, Justine (left). The couple had been together for over a year, celebrating their anniversary in May last year, with the Herald Sun reporting they, ‘separated several months ago’
The pair have moved on from that dark past with Nicky revealing that the engagement was a truly blissful moment.
‘We’d planned to go and we did (have so much to celebrate). We’re really happy,’ she told the Herald Sun of their trip to New York after Gary proposed.
After years of intense scrutiny, Gary got down on one knee and proposed to Nicky during a recent trip to the Mornington Peninsula and presented her with a giant diamond ring.
A month after their scandalous relationship made headlines, Geelong legend Billy revealed how the affair had impacted his family, saying ‘a good mate wouldn’t do that’.
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 17 Billy's ex-wife Nicky Brownless (front) became engaged to AFL star Garry Lyon (back) last year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/78895173-12991157-AFL_star_Garry_Lyon_and_his_partner_Nicky_Brownless_became_engag-a-25_1705918014182.jpg)
Billy’s ex-wife Nicky Brownless (front) became engaged to AFL star Garry Lyon (back) last year
He also sensationally confessed that Garry and Nicky’s secret relationship could have been going on for years.
‘I couldn’t believe it. I found out three or four months ago. I asked Garry and Nicky earlier on what is going on and they said they were just good friends.
‘That’s what hurts the most,’ he said on The AFL Footy Show at the time.
Billy shares four children with Nicky, daughters Lucy and Ruby and sons Oscar and Max.
![Billy Brownless debuts new companion at Australian Open following breakup with year-long girlfriend 19 Lyon blindsided his best mate Brownless by starting a relationship with his wife of 18 years, just 12 months after they separated](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/22/10/36567840-12991157-Lyon_blindsided_his_best_mate_Billy_Brownless_right_by_starting_-a-24_1705918008644.jpg)
Lyon blindsided his best mate Brownless by starting a relationship with his wife of 18 years, just 12 months after they separated