Sydney captain Lucy McEvoy “absolutely” wants the club’s AFLW list to be consulted before the Swans reintegrate the five male players at the centre of an alleged hotel scandal.
But McEvoy insists the Swans’ AFL and AFLW teams remain united as Victoria Police continue to investigate claims of a sexual assault at the men’s team hotel in Melbourne early on Monday.
The Swans have since suspended Isaac Heeney, Riley Bice, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey and James Jordon for the remainder of the season for breaching club standards.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
None have been charged by police and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing, while they are also helping with inquiries.
The five have not been in contact with their AFLW counterparts, who have been caught in the crossfire of the sport’s most shattering off-field scandal in years.
“A lot of women in the community, we’re all feeling the same. It’s obviously an issue within the community that needs to be addressed,” McEvoy said.
“I applaud the club and the way that they’ve handled it and respected us as a women’s program and kept us informed and supported us really strongly.”
Men’s captain Callum Mills has addressed the AFLW team this week, and the two playing rosters have come together for a breath work session and barbecue.
McEvoy said her team were “extremely disappointed” in the actions of the five suspended players, but insisted the Swans had broadly cultivated a positive working environment for women.
“The actions of the five men are not a reflection of the club and the boys that have been here throughout the week have been absolutely incredible towards us as a W program,” she said.
While none of the men’s players in question will participate in this year’s finals series, Swans chief executive Matthew Pavlich and coach Dean Cox have both insisted the club would support rather than abandon the quintet.
McEvoy said she hoped the women’s players would be consulted about the timing of bringing the players, who are not banned from training, back into the fold.
“Absolutely, yes,” she said.
“We haven’t discussed that at the minute, we’ve just been taking the emotions as they come day by day and we know that the club will work through that with us when the time is right.”
The SCG will host the Swans’ first AFL and AFLW double-header this Sunday as the women’s side face Essendon before the men play North Melbourne.
Some fans are expected to boycott at least the men’s match.
“I can appreciate why people would potentially do that but as a club we’re staying united,” McEvoy said.
“The best way to get through it is to support us at the moment. As a club, we’ll certainly be uniting as one on the weekend.”
Addressing his team this week, Swans AFLW coach Colin O’Riordan told the playing group they had the chance to be a shining light in the darkest of hours this Sunday.
“We touched on how they can be a beacon of light, they can be a beacon to every woman out there who wants to be them,” he said.
“They’re huge role models for so many women and I think that’s what we’re really leaning into this week.”
