The careers of Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordon and Nick Blakey can resume something approaching normalcy again, following Victoria Police’s decision not to lay any charges from the Pullman hotel investigation due to “insufficient evidence”.
A number of parties will be relieved, starting with the Sydney hierarchy and the AFL, which does not have to make any difficult calls about stand downs in the event of charges.
North Melbourne’s leadership had made inquiries about Blakey’s situation before investing close to $12 million over eight years , and were satisfied with his version of events, in which the defender claimed he was not a major player in whatever transpired in the hotel room.
The Kangaroos and their president Sonja Hood, whose board greenlit the gargantuan contract, will feel something beyond relief today. Vindication, perhaps.
But some parties will be displeased by the police verdict, none more than the women making the allegations – one of whom was described by her lawyer as “devastated” .
Warner said in his statement that he had been “always confident” he would be cleared.
But the player who has gained the most – or averted the absolute worst – from the police finding is surely Heeney, who was reported to be the initial target of police, had seen his hefty personal sponsorships suspended ( including a children’s book series ), and whose role as the angelic face of the club had been scuppered.
Heeney struck a remorseful note after the police verdict by saying that he was “fully focused on repaying that faith (the club’s) by being the best person and player I can be”.
Two further steps remain before the Swans and the players can put this scandal behind them.
One is the potential civil court action that the three women have said they will take. If and when those lawsuits land, the relevant players – which include ex-player Taylor Adams – will have to decide whether to contest the claims or reach settlements. No civil court case has yet been filed.
Even if the lack of criminal charges strengthens their position, the players have to consider whether they and their partners want this unpleasant show to go on.
The Swans, too, are potential civil targets of the women, whose allegations they were touched inappropriately triggered the police swarming the foyer and launching their investigation. One of the five Swans (as Blakey was then), Riley Bice had been cleared by police and was not a subject of what turned into a three-month investigation.
The second step remaining is the Swans’ club-wide review of their culture and practices , in which all players and many staff – plus AFLW players – are being interviewed.
The view that something is amiss within the playing group was buttressed by Tom Papley’s roadside positive test for drugs , which would see him suspended by the AFL for at least two matches if the B sample confirms the presence of methylamphetamine.
There will be a section of footy fans and a number in the old-school camp who will contend the Swans were harsh or erred in suspending the players for the finals – and “torpedoing” their premiership prospects, as chairman Andrew Pridham put it – given they have now been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.
But the Swans were right to take that strong action, when they might have suspended the players for one or two weeks, given the stunning level of unprofessionalism and poor judgement that the five exercised by bringing the women, topless waitresses/dancers, back to a hotel room after a night of drinking. The team bus was scheduled to leave at 8.30am and officials were gathering in the lobby.
“I welcome today’s announcement from Victorian Police.
The past three months have been incredibly difficult for my family, Steffie and those close to me. Watching my family carry the weight of this has been heartbreaking.
To my family and friends, your love and loyalty has meant more than words can do justice.
To those that have never doubted me and stood by my side in solidarity – thank you. I know it has not been easy in the face of such intense public scrutiny. I will never forget your support.
To the entire Sydney Swans club – my teammates, coaches, the board, our sponsors, and our loyal members and fans – thank you for keeping faith in me.
The Swans have given me an opportunity to live out a childhood dream and I am fully focused on repaying that faith by being the best person and player I can be.”
The AFL certainly wanted the players not to play in the finals series and rather than resist, the Swans eventually concurred. Consider, too, the distraction and the circus that would have ensued had they returned for the preliminary final .
There were three potential lines the players were accused of crossing, as culture and inclusion consultant Rana Hussain astutely put it following the detonation of the scandal.
First and most consequential was the criminal/legal line. The players have cleared that line in terms of avoiding charges. The civil legal action could yet cost them money.
The second line they are alleged to have crossed is cultural – that even if it wasn’t criminal, their behaviour offends contemporary standards regarding the treatment of women. People’s view on that front will hinge, to a degree, on their social and political values, and how much detail of the events at the Pullman is known.
The third line of transgression was that of professionalism and standards. On that score, there is little debate – the players displayed a cavalier disregard for their club, team and consequences.
The Swans were wise to draw a distinction between the criminal investigation – which was beyond their control – and the gross unprofessionalism of the players.
That said, much as they insist those two spheres were not connected, it is doubtful the five would have been suspended for the entire finals series if the police had not launched their investigation. The police involvement escalated public outrage and raised the stakes.
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