Sydney Swans forward Isaac Heeney says he is “thankful” for the opportunity to address his teammates and the club for the first time since he and four other players were suspended.
Heeney and his fellow banned teammates arrived at Swans HQ in Moore Park for their exit meetings on Wednesday evening after Sydney’s 2026 season came to an end last week.
“It was really nice to address the whole club,” Heeney said in a short statement.
“Extremely thankful they could give us their time and understanding … so yeah, it was really good.”
Heeney (right) and Warner (centre) were the only banned players to speak to reporters at Swans HQ on Wednesday. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
It is Heeney’s first public comment since he and four teammates — Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice — were suspended by the club for a breach of standards last month.
Warner and Bice arrived at Swans HQ first before Heeney, Jordon and Blakey arrived as a group shortly afterwards.
Warner was questioned by reporters on whether he would apologise to his teammates and said: “I don’t know, we’ll wait and see.”
The banned players were met at the door by Swans executive general manager of football, Leon Cameron. Blakey, Jordon and Bice did not speak.
Sydney’s season came to an end last week after it was defeated by Fremantle in the preliminary final. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)
Heeney polled a team-high 26 votes at the Brownlow Medal on Monday evening, well short of medal-winner Nick Daicos’s record total of 47.
No decision has been made by Sydney on the playing futures of the five suspended players beyond this season.
Warner and Jordon are contracted through 2027 while Heeney and Bice are contracted through 2028. Blakey’s contract with Sydney runs through the 2031 season.
An undermanned Swans side shocked grand finalists Brisbane in a qualifying final earlier this month before being beaten by Fremantle in last week’s preliminary final.
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