What has happened with the Sydney players’ scandal
Roger Vaughan and Joanna Guelas |
A TIMELINE OF THE SYDNEY PLAYERS’ DEBACLE
August 16 – Sydney beat Essendon at the MCG, confirming second spot on the ladder and a home qualifying final with one game left in the regular season. It is a twilight match, so the Swans stay overnight at Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel, at the AFL’s expense. Coach Dean Cox gives his players the night off and tells them to enjoy themselves, within reason.
August 17: approximately 4am – after returning to the Pullman, Sydney players Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon, plus former Swans teammate Taylor Adams and one other man, gather in a player’s hotel room with female adult entertainers for a party. Fellow Sydney player Nick Blakey has said he joined them, but then left.
Approximately 7am: There is a commotion in the foyer of the Pullman, with at least two of the women seen arguing with Swans officials, including Cox.
Midday: As Victoria Police investigate at the hotel, Sydney release a two-line statement, confirming “an alleged incident in Melbourne last night”.
Police confirm they are investigating a report of sexual assault.
Heeney reports to a police station in Melbourne, but is not asked to give a statement. He and the four teammates involved in the scandal are driven back to Sydney that night, while their teammates fly back as normal.
In Sydney, Swans chief executive Matthew Pavlich confirms an “alleged incident”, adding: “safe to say that we’re extremely shocked and disappointed that this has taken place and that the players have found themselves in this situation.”
August 19: Sydney suspend the five players for the rest of the season, for breaching club standards and behaviours. Club chairman Andrew Pridham said it “torpedoes” their premiership chances for this season. The players release a joint statement, apologising and accepting their bans. The AFL rule the players out of All-Australian selection for the season.
August 20: Pavlich apologises to Sydney fans, urging them to stick with the club.
August 21: Sydney coach Dean Cox and captain Callum Mills face the media. There are reports that Heeney and Warner have lost sponsorship deals because of the scandal.
August 22: Lawyers for a woman involved in the hotel incident say she has suffered an “incredibly traumatic experience” and is considering civil action.
August 23: Sydney’s AFLW team beat Essendon in an historic club double header at the SCG, while the undermanned Swans AFL side beat North Melbourne – the first games since the scandal unfolded.
August 24: AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon launches the finals series in Melbourne with a strongly worded statement about the Swans scandal, saying respect for women is non-negotiable. Dillon also confirms the five players will not be invited to the Brownlow Medal count and denies the league has a culture problem.
Sydney assistant Mark McVeigh is confirmed as Essendon’s new senior coach
Early September: speculation grows that Blakey wants a trade
September 2: Victoria Police confirm detectives have travelled to NSW to interview four men over sexual assault allegations. Three other men believed to be in the hotel room were also interviewed as witnesses.
September 5: Mills ruptures his ACL in the qualifying final against Brisbane. Sydney stun the reigning premiers with a shock win.
September 18: Fremantle end Sydney’s season, rallying in the last quarter to win their SCG preliminary final.
September 21: Heeney finishes equal-eighth in the Brownlow.
September 23: The five players are at Sydney’s headquarters for the first time since the club banned them, for their season exit interviews.
October 1: Heeney wins Sydney’s best-and-fairest award. He and the other four players do not attend the function. Heeney is given a standing ovation by some of the audience.
October 9: After meeting with several clubs, Blakey confirms North Melbourne as his preferred trade destination.
October 13: Blakey is traded to North in a blockbuster deal that makes him one of the AFL’s highest-paid players. His father John played for the Kangaroos.
November 13: Heeney, Warner, Jordon, Blakey are cleared by Victoria Police after a 10-week investigation. Police said no criminal charges would be laid due to insufficient evidence. Police also confirmed a civil matter is ongoing.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
AAP