James Hird has backed the Brisbane Lions to overcome an undermanned Sydney Swans side when the teams meet in their AFL qualifying final at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, September 5.
The Swans will be without five players stood down for the remainder of the 2026 season: Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon.
The players were suspended by Sydney after the club found they had breached its standards following an alleged incident at a Melbourne hotel. Victoria Police are investigating the matter, although no player had been interviewed at the time of the latest reports. ([afl.com.au](https://www.afl.com.au/news/1589589/sydney-swans-hand-down-huge-ban-to-five-star-players-isaac-heeney-chad-warner-nick-blakey-james-jordon-and-riley-bice/amp?utm_source=openai))
The absences have significantly weakened a Sydney team that finished second on the AFL ladder and secured home advantage for the qualifying final. The Swans will host Brisbane at the SCG, with the match scheduled to begin at 3.15pm local time. ([sydneyswans.com.au](https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/matches/9032?utm_source=openai))
Brisbane enter the contest after securing third place and will be seeking to make the most of the opportunity against a depleted opponent. The Lions were among the leading teams represented in the 2026 All-Australian squad, with six players selected. ([sydneyswans.com.au](https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/2111625/swans-duo-named-in-2026-all-australian-squad?utm_source=openai))
