Sydney Swans Remove Scandal-Hit Players From 2027 Calendar
The Sydney Swans have quietly removed the players embroiled in the club’s Pullman Hotel scandal from their official 2027 calendar as a police investigation into sexual assault allegations continues, thenightly.com.au reported.
Calendar Omissions Reveal Merchandise Shake-Up
Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, and Nick Blakey no longer feature on the version of the calendar being sold through The AFL Store. The original calendar featured Heeney and Blakey prominently on the cover, but that version remains available through Amazon Australia.
An awkward pricing contrast separates the two versions. The original calendar is listed for $31.95, while the updated calendar sells for $19.95 through The AFL Store, representing a $12 difference.
The revamped merchandise features Callum Mills, Braeden Campbell, and Jake Lloyd in place of the removed players. Several other athletes, including Charlie Curnow, have been shifted to different months.
Police Investigate Sexual Assault Allegations at Pullman Hotel
The merchandise alterations arrive two months after five players were suspended for the remainder of the 2026 AFL season following an incident at the Pullman Hotel on August 17. The players breached club behavioral standards by staying out late, consuming alcohol, and bringing women back to their hotel rooms.
Four of those players—Heeney, Warner, James Jordon, and Blakey—remain the subjects of an ongoing police investigation into sexual assault allegations made by three women, thenightly.com.au reported. A fifth player, Riley Bice, is no longer a subject of the investigation. No charges have been laid against any of the players, and all five have denied criminal wrongdoing.
All five players were left out of the club’s 2027 calendar lineup entirely. Tom Papley, Errol Gulden, Callum Mills, and Brodie Grundy represent the club in the new year.
Nick Blakey Joins North Melbourne After Apologizing
Defender Nick Blakey has departed Sydney to join North Melbourne on an eight-year deal reportedly worth about $11 million, after playing 173 games for the Swans since his 2019 debut.
Blakey broke his silence regarding the scandal last week after his trade was confirmed. “I want to say that I’m sorry for the events that led up to my exit from Sydney,” Blakey said in a statement released by North Melbourne. “I know I have to win back the trust of the broader community, football and otherwise.”
The five players also requested not to attend Sydney’s awards night at Town Hall on October 1. Despite missing the end of the season due to suspension, Isaac Heeney claimed his third consecutive Bob Skilton Medal, polling 431 votes.
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham defended Heeney’s inclusion in the count, explaining that the club separated their on-field performances from the conduct that prompted their suspensions. Pridham noted that retrospectively removing votes already cast by coaches would have amounted to an excessive additional punishment.
Heeney accepted the honor via a video message and apologized for the impact on the club. “From the depths of my heart, I’m truly sorry,” he said, describing his time away as heartbreaking.