‘Mainly to support AFLW’: Swans fans descend on SCG amid club scandal

Source : ABC NEWS

Sydney Swans supporter Teri turned up to the SCG with a homemade sign reading: “I’m here for the AFLW”.

“[I’m here] mainly to support AFLW women in light of everything that’s happened. They still need our support,” Teri said.

“I still love the game and I still love Sydney, just extremely disappointed.”

She is one of many fans who have descended on the SCG ahead of the historic double-header between the men’s and women’s teams. It comes in an emotional week as a scandal continues to engulf the club.

Five players — Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon — have been stood down by the Swans for breaching the club’s standards on drinking and staying out late following last Sunday’s win over Essendon in Melbourne.

Police from Victoria’s sexual crimes squad are separately investigating a report of sexual assault, which the ABC understands centres on a player allegedly touching one of the women without her consent.

Police have not made any arrests or laid charges. 

Teri, a decades-long supporter of the club, expressed great disappointment.

“As a fan, as a decades supporter, always thinking this club was something better, raising up against racism, like back to Goodsey … I thought they were much better than this,” she said.

“It’s hard to be proud at the moment.”

She said she would play it by ear whether she stays for the men’s game.

“It’s got nothing to do with the women, and I think they are suffering as well … these are people they thought were their friends,” Teri said.

“It was important for me to make sure that I came out for the women, wear my women’s AFLW merch, so that’s the first thing and I’ll decide as I’m there because I also feel for the remainder of the team, the men’s team.”

There was talk during the week of a fan boycott of the men’s game, where some fans have decided to show up for the AFLW game between Sydney and Essendon and leave before the men’s Swans team run out against North Melbourne. 

For long-term fan and member Meagan Masters, the past week has left her “gutted”, saying the image of the “wholesome” club had been shattered.

“I feel like I know the players, and so just disappointment and really heartbroken for the other members of the team at this stage in the competition where they were heading possibly to a flag,” she told the ABC as she made her way to the SCG.

She said the alleged actions of the five players was “unacceptable” for professional athletes, and she was “100 per cent” behind their ban for the remainder of the season, but said she was keeping an open mind because no-one knows exactly what happened at the hotel.

Ms Masters, who regularly goes to both the men’s and women’s games, said she expected a large turnout today.

“I think we’re going to get that record crowd that we’re after,” she said.

David Lipman also there to support the women’s team, agreed that fans would turn out in droves.

“They’ve [women’s team] done nothing wrong,” he said.

“They may feel that what’s alleged to have occurred is detrimental to their standing, but the rest of the club are supporting them and they deserve it.”

Chris Lewis goes to most AFLW games in New South Wales and came out in a GWS pride kit to support the AFLW game today.

“[I’m feeling] incredibly disappointed. There is no doubt about that it’s been probably the worst week for NSW footy that we have ever had,” he said.

“It’s been horrible, it’s been horrible as a parent to young kids, trying to explain this stuff when they were fans of some of the players involved. It’s just been an absolute awful week for all footy fans in NSW.”

On whether he would stay for the men’s match, similar to Teri he said he would play it by ear, but likely would not stay.

“I’ve been trying to weigh this up all week. I’m a big fan of the North Melbourne men’s team, especially Cooper Trembath, but I’ll probably be leaving. It just doesn’t seem appropriate, it doesn’t seem right to stay,” he said.