The Sydney Swans have wiped out five players for the remainder of the 2026 AFL season — including the finals series — after the club’s board ruled they had committed a “serious breach” of behaviour and standards amid an ongoing police investigation.
Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon and Chad Warner will not be considered for selection for the rest of the campaign, the club confirmed in a statement on Wednesday morning following an emergency board meeting on Tuesday night.
The sanctions blow apart Sydney’s premiership charge, with the Swans set to finish the home-and-away season second on the ladder but now facing a finals campaign without three of their most influential players.
“The Club believes the players are in serious breach of expected Club behaviour and standards, and it is appropriate to take firm action.”
What the Swans said
“Sydney Swans players Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon and Chad Warner will not be considered for selection for the remainder of the 2026 AFL Season,” the club said.
“The AFL is supportive of the Club’s sanctions. We respect there is an ongoing investigation by Victoria Police and the actions we have taken today are independent of this.”
The club added: “The Club also acknowledges that these serious allegations impact others and their wellbeing must be paramount.”
Police investigation ongoing
The club’s internal investigation into the alleged incident — which occurred inside the team’s Melbourne hotel following a win over Essendon at the MCG on Sunday night — is separate from an ongoing probe by the Victoria Police Sexual Crimes Squad.
None of the five players have been formally interviewed by police, though they have reportedly spoken to investigators. No arrests have been made and no charges have been laid, with the exact circumstances of the incident still to be determined.
The Herald Sun first revealed that police swarmed the team’s hotel following a report of a sexual assault in East Melbourne on August 17.
Club in crisis mode
Swans staff, including coach Dean Cox, arrived at the club’s SCG headquarters before 7am on Wednesday ahead of a explosive day for the football club.
Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham and CEO Matthew Pavlich were set to front media at 12pm AEST at Swans headquarters.
Blakey, Heeney and Warner are three of the club’s best and most important players, making the sanctions a devastating blow to a side that had been considered a genuine premiership contender.
A season derailed
The Swans will enter the finals without a third of their senior side, turning what had been a promising 2026 campaign into one of the darkest chapters in the club’s history.
With the police investigation ongoing and the club’s own review complete, the fallout is far from over — and the full scale of the damage to one of the AFL’s proudest clubs may not be known for some time.
