'Best one yet': Did Joanna Burgess take a swipe at Phoebe Burgess on Christmas Day... before unfollowing her on Instagram?
As the shock of Sam Burgess' split from wife Phoebe Burgess continues to reverberate, a growing divide appears to be gathering among other family members.
On Christmas Day 2018, Joanna Burgess posted a family photo to Instagram, showing her, Sam, George and Luke Burgess and other friends and family enjoying lunch at a restaurant in Watson's Bay, Sydney.
With Phoebe absent in the picture, Joanna captioned the photo, 'Chrissy crew', with the hashtag, 'BestOneYet.'
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'Best one yet': Did Joanna Burgess take a swipe at Phoebe Burgess on Christmas Day... before unfollowing her on Instagram? Joanna, 28, captioned the photo, 'Chrissy crew', and added the hashtag, 'BestOneYet'
Observers were left wondering if the hashtag was an apparent swipe at Phoebe - or simply a positive comment on a joyful family gathering.
And after Daily Mail Australia revealed that Phoebe had unfollowed Joanna and George Burgess on Instagram on Thursday, Joanna likewise unfollowed Phoebe shortly afterwards.
On Friday, reports surfaced describing their high-profile split as 'pretty messy'.
Cutting ties? And after Daily Mail Australia revealed that Phoebe had unfollowed Joanna and George Burgess on Instagram on Thursday, Joanna likewise unfollowed Phoebe shortly afterwards. Pictured: Phoebe and Sam Burgess
A close friend of the former pair told The Daily Telegraph that 'things have been bad for a while.'
The insider explained that the split was hard on Phoebe as Sam's mother Julie stood by her son amid allegations of infidelity.
'It would have been hard for Phoebe because Julie would have completely stuck by Sam during all the cheating allegations and there's talk she didn't offer Phoebe much support,' they said.
'They tried to keep it together but it all went to sh**, that's the honest truth. It is pretty messy,' the source told the publication.
'It would have been hard for Phoebe because Julie would have completely stuck by Sam during all the cheating allegations and there's talk she didn't offer Phoebe much support,' they said.
NRL star Sam, 30, split from glamorous wife Phoebe, 29, just weeks after the birth of their second child, it was revealed on Thursday.
And in a sign of the darkening mood around the couple, Phoebe unfollowed Sam's brother George and his wife Joanna on Instagram.
While Phoebe is no longer following the couple as of Thursday, it is unclear how long ago she made the social media move.
Deepening divide? Phoebe (right) has unfollowed her brother-in-law George Burgess and his wife Joanna on Instagram after splitting with husband Sam (left)
Meanwhile, fans rallied around Phoebe by sharing their support in the comment section of a recent Instagram post.
The post showed a sweet photograph of her newborn son, William 'Billy' Mark, who was born only last month
'I'm very sorry to hear what has happened. Sending all of my love during this difficult time,' one kind Instagram user wrote.
Social shock: And in a sign of the darkening mood, Phoebe has unfollowed Sam's brother George and his wife Joanna (pictured) on Instagram. Phoebe's Instagram followers made the discovery on Thursday
Another penned: 'Some people are so vile. Look after yourself, mama,' while another empathised: 'My heart is breaking for you'.
'Keep your head up. Don't let no cheating man put you down,' one stern social media user commented.
'I'm sure lots of people will have lots of opinions but remember you're doing an awesome job as a mum to a toddler and a newborn and you've got this,' another stated.
On Friday, Sam disabled comments on some of his Instagram photos where he is pictured with Phoebe.
Sam and Phoebe called time on their three-year marriage less than a month after welcoming their second child.
Despite the new addition to their family, there's no denying 2018 was a difficult year for the couple, with Sam finding himself at the centre of a sexting scandal in September.
Social shake-up: NRL star George (far right), 26, married Joanna, 28, in December 2016 in Noosa, Queensland. He is pictured here with Sam (second from left) and friends
Sam and Phoebe first met at an Avicii concert in Sydney in January 2014.
They kept their fledgling relationship a secret for eight months, before making their debut as a couple at the Dally M Awards in Sydney in September that year.
Their relationship progressed quickly and just a month later, in October 2014, Phoebe relocated to England to support her boyfriend after he signed with a rugby union team in Bath, Somerset.
By June 2015, they were engaged following a romantic holiday in Greece.
Moving on: Sam and Phoebe Burgess' romance began at an Avicii concert and survived numerous obstacles before their split just weeks after welcoming a baby boy. Pictured together on February 11, 2016 in Sydney
The couple returned to Sydney in November 2015, after Sam re-signed with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and they married a month later in December 2015 at Phoebe's parents' home in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.
In January 2017, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Poppy Alice, who will soon turn two.
Their second child, son William 'Billy' Mark, was born only last month.
Hard times: Despite welcoming their son Billy just last month, there's no denying 2018 was a difficult year for the couple
But despite what should have been one of the happiest times of their lives, a difficult few months clearly took a toll on the couple.
Sam and Phoebe started 2018 with what appeared to be a fairytale marriage.
In a May 2018 interview with Stellar Magazine, Phoebe praised her husband, calling him quite simply 'a good man'.
Fairytale romance: They married in December 2015 at Phoebe's parents' home in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales
'The moment he had a daughter, he had this amazing new appreciation for the other 50 per cent of the population,' she said.
'He doesn't skirt his responsibilities as a father. He never takes off and goes out with the boys instead of being a dad.
'He always makes the right choice - which I've never bullied him to do! He's just a good man. And it's sexy.'
Making a move: Their relationship progressed quickly, with Phoebe relocating to England to support her boyfriend after he signed with a rugby union team in Bath, Somerset in late 2014
