Disgraced footy star Brett Finch’s wife reveals her new love with a very pointed message after the former NRL gun’s conviction on vile child sex offences

The estranged wife of NRL star Brett Finch has made her new relationship with a former boxer official on Instagram, after her famous ex narrowly escaped a prison sentence for sharing child abuse material online.

Ellie Johnston, who married Finch in 2018 and has a daughter with him, supported the former Roosters and Storm star during his trial for sending “depraved” voicemail messages about having sex with young boys on a gay chat service in a bid to obtain drugs.

Their split became public in May last year – and now Johnston has introduced her new partner, former boxer Liam Hillen, on the social media platform.

In her first post with her new lover, she showed them enjoying a holiday in the snow. The caption was telling: ‘Water what waters you’. This seems to be a clear reference to her search for a partner who makes her happy.

Another photo shows the couple showing off their bodies as they cuddle up on Duranbah Beach in northern New South Wales, wearing only their swimwear.

Hillen also posted a video of himself riding behind a bikini-wearing Johnston on the back of a jet ski.

He is a former amateur fighter who, according to respected boxing website Boxrec, has two Australian Golden Gloves victories to his name, both of which will take place in 2022.

Their romance comes nearly two years after Finch, 43, was convicted of sharing “depraved” child pornography while battling a crippling cocaine addiction.

Johnston and Finch (pictured together) split in December 2022 after she supported him during his trial on shocking child sex allegations

Johnston, who married Finch in 2018 and has a daughter with him, gave a photo of her and Hillen (pictured together) the telling caption, “Water what waters you.”

The former NSW Blues star was under the influence of drugs when he left a series of “twisted” messages on a gay chat line, describing himself wanting to perform sexual acts on boys as young as 12.

In August 2022, he pleaded guilty to using a transportation service to transmit, publish, or promote child abuse. On November 23 of that year, he was sentenced to a $1,000 conditional sentence for two years.

Johnston, the daughter of AFL star Wayne Johnston, continued to support him during his battle with addiction in the run-up to his sentencing and remained loyal to him throughout his trial.

The couple married in January 2018 in the Victorian capital and lived at Sans Souci in Sydney’s south with their three-year-old daughter Mackenzie while Finch was charged.

The ceremony was attended by coaches Craig Bellamy, Brad Fittler and Ricky Stuart, as well as league legends Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and Andrew Johns. Finch’s former Roosters teammate Anthony Minichiello was Finch’s best man.

Finch had spent 18 months in a Thai rehabilitation clinic for treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, and he said it was Johnston who calmed him down.

“It’s a blessing to have Elli in my life,” he said at the time.

Hillen (pictured with Johnston) is a former amateur boxer

Johnston posted tributes to her daughter’s resilience on social media after Finch was charged, but did not share any photos or video of his ex after he was charged.

She broke her silence on Finch’s scandal in December 2022, saying, “It’s been an extremely traumatic time for me, Mackenzie and Brett. And now we need time to heal individually and as a family.”

In May last year, Johnston was rumoured to have linked up with AFL star Dustin Martin, after the two dated for about nine months about a decade ago.

The couple went on holiday to Bali with a small group of friends in 2013, after which Martin ended the relationship to concentrate on football.

However, a reliable source denies that the couple has rekindled their relationship.

Finch (pictured with Johnston) has gone from highly paid footballer and Channel Nine star to trainee forklift driver

In January this year it was revealed that Finch was working as an apprentice forklift driver after being rejected when applying for 300 jobs, leaving him reliant on Centrelink benefits.

Finch was also charged with violating the conditions of his release.

His lawyer Paul McGirr said Finch had “fulfilled every obligation” and responded to the charges.

“On the anniversary of his sentence, he must report to the police in his region for the next eight years,” McGirr said.

‘It is alleged that he did not do so last year, on the anniversary of his sentence.’

The new lifestyle is a huge change for the former State of Origin hero, who earned hundreds of thousands of dollars a year when he spent 14 seasons in first grade and then went on to commentate for Channel Nine and Fox Sports when he retired.