My thoughts on Swans situation is evolving constantly but here’s where I’m at today:
-until the facts of the alleged assault are known I will reframe from making assumptions
-this does not mean that I do not believe the women involved
-I’m not going to make a moral judgement about the players engaging exotic dancers because if I do that I judge the women involved - it’s their profession.
- if the fact that they did engage dancers breaches the trust and respect of their partners, which no doubt it will, that is a private matter
-that they breached the trust of their team mates and sponsors and fans demonstrates the staggering stupidity and arrogance of their actions and they will never recover from it
- they do deserve the presumption of innocence - it’s complex because we know that sexual assault claims are notoriously difficult to prove - but it’s the bedrock of our judicial system
-I will support the team because the club has made the right call and there are men on that team who made the right decision to go to bed early, who have trained their guts out and given the club every bit of themselves and shouldn’t be punished
-if they are found guilty of sexual assault may they face the full force of the law
-I am so bloody sad and angry

I think the Swans Management have handled the situation as best they could, Brandon doesn't seem to think so.

As a former Swans player, I’ve been left devastated

BRANDON
JACK

On the walls somewhere at the Sydney Swans’ HQ would be a series of words; a set of values that the club stands for or, at least, believes that they do. At one stage those words were hard, disciplined, united. I’m sure they are now something different, yet just as vague.

Every football club does this exercise in identity. They think long and hard about values then place them somewhere by the entrance, or in the change room, so that 50 times a day, players and staff are confronted by the words in the hope that they seep into their minds and create a culture. As a former Swans player, I am devastated that a group of players could make choices that created this week’s situation.

The pre-emptive caveat against any backlash for appearing to prioritise a man’s football career over a woman’s wellbeing: ‘‘Yes, we’re a football show, so we have to do our due diligence on how this will impact the season.’’

My caveat: I do not have one ounce of care for the impact this will have on the Swans’ season. This is a game that involves chasing a ball around an oval that is propped up by a business machine to mean more than it ever should.

But still, there is a football conversation here. One that extends beyond this season, beyond the potential five games that five players have been suspended for, beyond the four walls of the Sydney Swans.

Though the club has been profiteering off its place at the top of the footballing cultural epoch for decades, the Bloods and their supposedly humble culture provide the most pertinent example of what football clubs truly stand for.

Time and time again, when each club has a crisis – a sexual assault allegation, a drug scandal, a Mad Monday fiasco – we see something that is hidden by game-day mania and smiling players who pose for photos with children. We see that these role models earn their mantle without any reason.

Because, when given the chance to be role models over the past few days, not a single player or coach has stood firm. The chief executive said he was disappointed players had ‘‘found themselves’’ in this situation. The captain, having had time to be a leader, could only find it in himself to say he didn’t know the facts and couldn’t comment.

And the club itself has now said they ‘‘condemn all forms of abuse and disrespectful behaviour towards women’’. Something so obvious that the fact it has to be written down at all illuminates how disparate their values are from the actions of its players.

Each party here is saying the lines they are fed in an attempt to put the right plugs in the PR crisis holes. Because that’s their priority: minimising damage to the club, the people inside the four walls and the four walls themselves; not the fans, or the victims of any incident.

Because make no mistake, that is all a football club ever values: they operate in the business of wins and losses and through a series of savvy media campaigns and selected social posts. They cosplay as social instruments and create role models for fans without ever actually knowing who they are.

It is all well and good to condemn all forms of abuse and accept money from sponsors on social and political justice issues. To receive pats on the backs from fans for ‘‘standing for something’’, but that is all take and no give. Without significant action, that is an easy business decision and not a sign of culture.

I would like to hear a Swans leader say: ‘‘This is an ongoing investigation, but if any of our players were involved in a sexual assault, they would not be welcome at this club anymore.’’ That would not admit guilt, would not intervene with the criminal investigation, but be a fair statement by a club against gender-based violence. It would put a value ahead of the wins and losses and the loyalty of player ‘‘mateship’’.

Clubs, with their stances, make promises that players are expected to keep. For decades the Swans held themselves as a club that believed no individual was bigger than the team and are now pinned by their own mythology. Time will tell what the Swans truly value. I hope I am wrong with my cynicism. Though for that to be the case, something truly terrible has happened. And I cannot find any reason to smile or pat a single soul on the back for standing for something here. What I feel is this terrible emptiness that no words could fill. Especially not those displayed by the entrances of football clubs.

I’m sure a few people are with me here but I’m really struggling to get it out of my head or understand wtf is going on.

I feel sick that this is the team I support and feel so disgusted for what those women have had to deal with from fucking disgusting behaviour.

Heeney was my absolute favorite player ever and I love Chad and the lizard and jj.

I don’t want to support swans anymore. I feel gross and sick and just don’t want to see the swans logo or anything about the club.

Edit - thank you to those who have written things to help a bit. Especially the private message.

I’m not giving up on the swans even though my favourite players have made THEIR OWN SELFISH DECISIONS. That shouldn’t reflect on the whole team many of which have done nothing wrong.

Again. Thank you to those who have taken their time to make a lifelong supporter feel a lot better. I live alone and don’t really talk to many people so this really has helped a lot. Thank you. ❤️

Every time a sexual assault case breaks in the media, so many women are forced to relive their own trauma, especially the experience of not being heard, believed or supported.
It is the people who continue to defend or excuse these AFL players who contribute to a culture where women feel they have to hide their own experiences, because they’re afraid of speaking out, condemning perpetrators, or simply being believed.
During my own sexual assault, I was told, “When girls say no, they really mean yes.” Are men really this fucking stupid not being able to understand a word containing two fucking letters?
So I have to ask, why have so few other AFL players spoken out in support of these women? Why am I predominantly seeing women sharing resources, speaking up and standing up for what should be basic human decency?
I am so fucking tired of this rhetoric. I’m tired of women constantly having to fight to be heard, to be believed, and to have their basic rights and dignity respected.

We are deeply sorry to everyone involved. We know that our behaviour has fallen well short of the standards expected of us and the values of our Club.

We know we have let down our partners and families, members, supporters, teammates, the AFLW team, corporate partners and everyone at the Club and in the wider community. 

We accept the Club sanction and apologise for the impact this has had on those involved.

Our focus will now be on rebuilding trust with the Club and the community.

If you wanna see a tragedy, just listen to Longmire on AFL360. My god, the pain in his eyes is unbearable. I also got the vibe that he is well aware that there are some devastating consequence coming.

Firstly, I want to preface this post by saying that my overwhelming feeling over what has occurred is something approaching grief. I started supporting this team when I was a kid in the 80s and my enthusiasm for the Swans was strong enough to convert my soccer-loving Scottish dad into a fellow die-hard supporter. And now I’ve passed that passion onto my daughter, who’s 18 and loves that someone like Errol can represent her, a kid with an Aussie mum and Turkish dad. Three generations of Swans. For the best part of 40 years, I’ve invested a small part of myself and my identity into this club, so yeah, I’m gutted. I’m also a woman who took some pride in the belief that MY team was different somehow when it came to culture, better, more evolved. Wishful thinking, obviously, but that’s tribalism I guess.

So… all that to say, how do we account for the actions of 5 when, as others have pointed out on various threads, other players did nothing wrong? These things don’t occur in a vacuum, and yes, we live in a patriarchal society in which violence against women is common. But surely there is something at the heart of the club that has created the conditions for this kind of behaviour to take place, even if not all players have chosen to act in this way? Be that hubris, arrogance, turning a blind eye to ‘minor indiscretions’, toxic masculinity or a cavalier attitude to supporting young men in areas other than kicking a ball well.

So, can we talk about culture and how we can protect against this in future? Because I love this club and I’m kind of heartbroken that I might have to support the Dons soon (never let your small son choose their own team cos they’ll always choose the cool plane one).

Thanks for reading. I never post on Reddit and only comment infrequently, but this sub and the afl sub has been a source of community for me these last few days and I am keen to hear what my fellow supporters think and feel about this aspect in particular.

This is my first post on Reddit, not sure how this works but i just wanted to mention something.

I feel like the banner this weekend should have something to do with violence against women. If this is what the club wants to stand for, it would be a great thing in a disgusting situation to have all the unaffected boys run out together through a banner that condemns their teammates actions. I wonder if the club would even allow it or if they would just want to get through the match unscathed. I hope the W team thinks about doing something as well, would be great for them to show they are not standing for this at the club.

How are people feeling now about whether or not they are going to attend the men’s game?

Edit: I never was attending the game I am away with work and with the recent statements would be attending the game if I could. I was asking to see other people’s opinions

We are writing to you today to address the events in Melbourne on Monday morning.

Five players have been found by the Club to have breached the Club’s expected standards of behaviour. This determination, and the resultant decision not to consider selecting these players for the balance of season 2026, including finals, relates specifically to their actions post-match and in the early hours of Monday morning.

Importantly, our determination that the players have breached our expected standards has been undertaken in isolation of a separate investigation by Victoria Police in relation to an alleged sexual assault. We stress that no player has been charged.

First and foremost, we would like to offer a sincere apology for the distress this incident has caused the wider community, our members, supporters, commercial partners, Academy families, staff members, athletes, their partners and families. Our thoughts remain with everyone affected, particularly the women involved.

To you, our members, many who have expressed their deep concern, we understand and share the hurt many of you will be feeling. To say we are disappointed is an understatement.

We are very proud of the culture of the Sydney Swans, something that has been built over many years through the values and actions of our people and players. While we believe we largely get more right than we get wrong, clearly today is a deeply sad day for our Club and everyone connected to it.

The sanctions and decisive action we have taken demonstrate the seriousness with which we have treated this matter. It is important to stress that football considerations played no part in our decision-making. Our focus was on doing what we believe is right and upholding the standards expected of everyone who represents our Club.

The five players are all important and valued members of our team. They are remorseful for having breached Club standards. Notwithstanding the sanction, the Club continues to support the players and will welcome them back at the appropriate time. Our support for our players in no way indicates a lack of care or understanding for others impacted. Respect for women is core to our beliefs. All women deserve to feel safe and respected.

We also want to acknowledge the impact this has had on our AFLW players and staff, who have our continued support and care. The team’s first win of the 2026 season on Sunday was a great achievement, and it is deeply regrettable that their success has been overshadowed by these events. As a Club, we are now looking ahead to our first AFLW home game this Sunday, a historic double-header at the SCG. We encourage our members and supporters to get behind the team and show them the support and recognition they deserve.

We know that moving forward as a Club will take time. Every member of our community will process this in their own way, and we do not take your trust or support for granted.

We are committed to doing the work required to uphold the values, standards and culture we expect of everyone at the Sydney Swans.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Pridhman & Matthew Pavlich

Not sure how these things work, but the title speaks for itself. I with Heens being the vice captain of the club and being involved in this mess would need to step down.

Errol seems switched on with high of footy IQ, and he seems like a great leader and communicator.

I think Errol HAS to be the guy.

Thoughts?

Unavailable:

• Amartey
• Bice
• Blakey
• Chamberlain
• Edwards
• Hetherton
• Heeney
• Jordon
• King
• Ladhams
• McLean
• McInerney
• Chad

It’s as cheap as $60. Even if you don’t want to go to games for some reason, it’s only $60.

Record AFLW membership numbers in the wake of what’s happened this week would send a message.

If you’re feeling helpless as a supporter of this club and are trying to work out what you can do, do this.

Protecting the perpetrators because you support the club just perpetuates this type of predatory behaviour.