Key players interviewed by Swans as club suspensions loom

Key Sydney AFL players were quizzed individually by Swans officials on Tuesday as they face club-imposed suspensions of multiple matches over their conduct in Melbourne.

The five players who remained in Melbourne as the rest of the team travelled back to Sydney attended separate meetings with senior club and team officials away from Swans headquarters after driving home to NSW.

The meetings were to discuss the events of Sunday night and Monday morning, which led to a police investigation into an allegation of sexual assault at the Pullman East Melbourne which is being handled by Victoria Police’s sexual crimes squad.

This masthead has contacted the representatives of Isaac Heeney, Riley Bice, James Jordon and Chad Warner after two senior industry sources said they were spoken to by police after an allegation of sexual assault in the early hours of Monday morning.

This masthead is not suggesting any of the players are under investigation by police, just that they are assisting with inquiries.

This masthead also contacted a representative of Swan Nick Blakey, who denied Blakey was involved in the incident. But the representative confirmed Blakey had also remained in Melbourne with his four teammates.

Earlier on Tuesday, two senior competition sources told this masthead on the condition of anonymity that the players would be dealt with under the AFL rule that covers bringing the game into disrepute and conduct unbecoming.

However, late on Tuesday the league said that rule would not immediately be applied.

Instead, the Swans, who are deeply unhappy with the behaviour of the players regardless of the outcome of the police investigation, will handle immediate penalties for the players.

The players had been out drinking after Sunday night’s win over Essendon and returned to the team hotel in the early hours of Monday morning.

The AFL has the power to suspend the players under rule 2.3A, which prohibits conduct unbecoming or likely to prejudice the interests or reputation of the AFL.

Any immediate club or league action would be separate to the Victoria Police investigation.

A source close to the group of Swans players, but not authorised to speak publicly, said the players had been fully co-operative with the police probe.

They said all five had been prepared to speak with police on Monday, but only one was ultimately quizzed.

Police told the group they were not ready to conduct a formal interview or speak with any of the players acting as witnesses.

The source said leading Melbourne criminal lawyer Tony Hargreaves was called in to assist the group before they were told they were free to leave and return to Sydney.

Sydney is expected to make an announcement in response to the alleged incident, according to the competition sources, but that may not happen until Wednesday.

No player has been arrested and the AFL’s disciplinary action does not make any finding in relation to the allegation that remains under investigation by detectives from Victoria Police’s Sexual Crimes Squad.

Instead, the AFL and the club have been examining the conduct of the players before and around the alleged incident, and whether their behaviour fell sufficiently below the standards expected of AFL footballers to warrant sanction under the league’s broad disrepute provisions.

One of the most recent examples of an AFL suspension under this rule was for then Bulldog Bailey Smith, who was found guilty of “conduct unbecoming” and suspended for two matches in 2022.

Smith admitted to using an illicit substance late in 2021.

This masthead contacted all 36 of the Swans’ corporate partners. None were willing to comment on the incident, and so far, there is no indication that any of the club’s sponsors will be walking away.

However, a spokesperson for Origin expressed disappointment. “The club informed us about this incident yesterday, and we are incredibly disappointed. While the matter is subject to an investigation, it is not appropriate for us to comment any further,” the spokesperson said.

The Swans players are now facing the prospect of missing not only Sydney’s final home-and-away match against North Melbourne on Sunday, but at least part of the Swans’ finals campaign.

Sydney have already secured second position on the ladder and a home qualifying final. Any multi-game suspension would carry significant consequences for the club’s premiership aspirations.

The Swans were forced to remain in Melbourne on Sunday night because Sydney Airport’s curfew prevented the team from returning home following its convincing win over Essendon at the MCG.

Several players subsequently went out drinking before returning to the Pullman, where the team and its staff were staying.

Police attended the hotel on Monday after receiving a report of an alleged sexual assault.