Sydney Swans star Nick Blakey is in a relationship with Australian sprinter Ella Connolly, giving the couple an unusual connection between two of the country’s biggest sporting worlds.
Blakey has spent his professional career competing in the AFL, where his distinctive playing style and nickname, “The Lizard,” have made him one of Sydney’s most recognizable players. Connolly has followed a very different sporting path, representing Australia on the athletics track.
Their relationship has occasionally brought the pair together in the public eye, including appearances at major AFL functions.
Interest in Connolly has increased considerably in August 2026 after Blakey and four Sydney teammates received season-ending suspensions following breaches of club standards.
Connolly, however, is an accomplished athlete in her own right.
Who Is Ella Connolly?
Ella Connolly is an Australian track and field athlete specializing primarily in sprint events.
Born on July 13, 2000, Connolly grew up in Queensland and developed into one of Australia’s leading short-distance runners.
Her main events have included the 100 metres and 200 metres, while she has also represented Australia as part of relay teams.
Connolly has a personal best of 11.25 seconds in the 100m.
Her career has taken her from domestic Australian championships to major international competitions, meaning she understands many of the pressures that come with Blakey’s life as an elite athlete.
Track Career
Connolly’s achievements extend well beyond her relationship with an AFL player.
She represented Australia internationally while still young and earned a silver medal as part of the women’s 4x400m relay team at the 2018 World U20 Championships.
She subsequently shifted greater attention toward shorter sprint distances.
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Connolly was part of Australia’s bronze-medal-winning women’s 4x100m relay squad.
She has also competed at World Athletics Championships level.
In July 2024, Connolly was part of an Australian 4x100m relay performance of 42.48 seconds, recorded as an Australian record.
Those results have established her as an experienced international athlete rather than simply a familiar face at AFL events.
Nick And Ella
Blakey and Connolly have generally kept the finer details of their relationship relatively private.
They have nevertheless appeared together publicly and shared glimpses of their relationship through social media.
Their respective careers create an interesting dynamic.
Professional football requires Blakey to manage weekly matches, training, recovery and interstate travel across a lengthy AFL season. Connolly’s athletics career revolves around training cycles, qualifying standards and competitions that can take her around Australia and overseas.
Both therefore understand the physical demands and intense schedules associated with elite sport.
Brownlow Appearances
The Brownlow Medal has provided one of the more visible settings for the couple.
Connolly has accompanied Blakey to high-profile AFL events, bringing together their two sporting worlds away from competition.
For AFL players and their partners, Brownlow night is considerably different from the weekly routine of football.
Connolly’s presence has naturally attracted interest because she already has an established sporting identity of her own.
Rather than being known solely through Blakey, she has spent years representing Australia on the athletics circuit.
Who Is Nick Blakey?
Nick Blakey was born on February 27, 2000, and comes from a prominent Australian football family.
His father, John Blakey, played more than 350 AFL games across his career with Fitzroy and North Melbourne.
Nick ultimately joined Sydney through the club’s academy system.
The Swans selected him with pick No. 10 in the 2018 AFL Draft, and he made his senior debut the following year.
Blakey initially played in several positions before developing into a particularly damaging defender.
His speed, long kicking and ability to carry the football out of defence became trademarks of his game.
His unusual running style and appearance also contributed to the enduring “Lizard” nickname used by Sydney supporters.
AFL Success
Blakey developed into one of the most important players in Sydney’s back line.
He earned All-Australian selection in 2024, recognition that placed him among the competition’s leading players.
Blakey was again producing a season worthy of All-Australian consideration in 2026 before events away from the field dramatically changed the final weeks of his campaign.
That situation has inevitably brought increased scrutiny to people around him, including Connolly.
August 2026
On August 19, the Sydney Swans announced that Blakey, Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordon and Riley Bice would not play again during the 2026 season, including the finals.
Sydney imposed the sanctions after examining the players’ behavior surrounding an incident at a Melbourne hotel.
Club officials said the players had breached the standards and behaviors expected within the organization.
The five subsequently issued a joint apology accepting the club sanction.
In their statement, they acknowledged disappointing their partners and families, teammates, supporters and others connected with Sydney.
The suspensions came at a particularly costly moment because the Swans entered the finals as a leading premiership contender.
Separate Inquiry
The club’s disciplinary process must be distinguished from a separate Victoria Police investigation connected with allegations concerning the Melbourne hotel.
Sydney officials have repeatedly emphasized that their sanctions were imposed for breaches of club standards rather than as a conclusion about matters being investigated by police.
The AFL has likewise stated that its decisions concerning the players are independent of the Victoria Police investigation.
As with any ongoing police inquiry, allegations should not be presented as proven findings before the investigative and legal processes have established the facts.
There is no suggestion from credible reporting that Ella Connolly was involved in the hotel incident.
Brownlow Impact
Blakey’s suspension has also affected his participation in the AFL’s major individual awards.
The AFL ruled that the five suspended Sydney players would not be considered for the 2026 All-Australian team.
That was particularly significant for Blakey because he had been regarded as a strong candidate for another selection.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon subsequently confirmed that the five players would not be invited to the 2026 Brownlow Medal ceremony.
They remain eligible to receive Brownlow votes and potentially win the medal because the suspensions resulted from off-field club sanctions rather than tribunal suspensions that automatically affect eligibility.
For Blakey and Connolly, it means there will be no repeat of their previous Brownlow appearances together this year.
Ella’s Own Identity
The attention surrounding Blakey should not obscure Connolly’s accomplishments.
She has competed at an international level, represented Australia and collected major relay medals during a track career stretching back to her teenage years.
Her results include appearances at the Commonwealth Games and global athletics competitions, along with national-level success.
At 26, Connolly continues to have an identity in Australian sport completely independent of her boyfriend.
That distinction is especially relevant during periods when controversy surrounding a professional athlete can unexpectedly place attention on partners who had no involvement in the events being reported.
Their Sporting Story
For readers searching for Nick Blakey girlfriend, the answer is Australian sprinter Ella Connolly.
Their relationship connects two elite sporting careers that operate in very different environments. Blakey has established himself as an All-Australian AFL defender with the Sydney Swans, while Connolly has represented her country on the international athletics stage.
August 2026 has brought an unwanted level of scrutiny following Blakey’s season-ending club suspension. Connolly, however, remains separate from the circumstances being investigated.
Away from those headlines, she has her own sporting story—one built on years of sprint training, Australian representation and performances against some of the fastest athletes in the world.
