Sydney Swans produced one of the finest victories in the club’s modern history on Saturday, overwhelming reigning premiers Brisbane Lions by 53 points at the SCG despite the absence of five suspended stars and the early loss of captain Callum Mills.
The Swans won 21.15 (141) to 13.10 (88), securing a week’s rest and a home preliminary final. Logan McDonald led the charge with six goals, while the undermanned Sydney side established control from the opening bounce and never allowed Brisbane to settle. ([afl.com.au](https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/9029?utm_source=openai))
Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice were absent after being suspended by the club for the remainder of the 2026 season for breaching its behavioural standards. The sanction was separate from an ongoing Victoria Police investigation into allegations arising from an incident at Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel.
No arrests or charges had been made in relation to that investigation, and the Swans have not suggested that the five players are accused of sexual assault. The club’s decision nevertheless removed five important contributors from its finals campaign and left the players who remained facing an extraordinary test of their depth and unity. ([abc.net.au](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-19/afl-sydney-swans-ban-five-players-amid-police-investigation/107053398?utm_source=openai))
The suspended players were not present at the SCG, either in the stands or on the promotional material around the ground. Their absence was reflected in a crowd of about 37,000, below the attendance many would have expected for a qualifying final against the team that had won the previous two premierships.
Instead, Sydney delivered a performance that carried the force of a collective response. Its pressure around the ball was relentless, its movement going forward was decisive and its replacements showed little sign of being overawed by the occasion.
Harry Kyle, Jesse Dattoli and Tom Hanily were among the younger players to make important contributions, while McDonald produced a career-best finals display. The Swans’ senior players repeatedly praised the group’s ability to focus on football while the club’s administration dealt with the fallout from the hotel incident.
“You can let it impact you, or you can try and rally together,” veteran defender Dane Rampe said. “Worry about what’s within the four walls. And that’s what we’ve got at the moment.”
Rampe, 36, said he could not recall playing in a more significant victory since joining the club shortly after its 2012 premiership.
“Probably not,” he said when asked whether he had been involved in a better win given the circumstances. “Internally we had a quiet belief, and to go out and execute the way we did was amazing.”
Swans overcome another setback
Sydney’s task became more difficult during the first quarter when Mills suffered a serious knee injury after an awkward slide. Coach Dean Cox described the injury as “devastating” for both the captain and the club, with the full extent expected to be assessed further.
But the Swans did not lose their shape. Errol Gulden and James Rowbottom helped impose authority at stoppages, while Jai Serong restricted Brisbane star Lachie Neale and the forward line repeatedly exposed the Lions’ defence.
Chief executive Matthew Pavlich said the club had expected a strong showing after observing the players’ work during the week. The football programme had been kept as separate as possible from the administrative response to the Pullman incident, allowing Cox and his coaching staff to concentrate on preparing the team.
“I wasn’t surprised at how we turned up,” Pavlich said.
The victory has revived Sydney’s premiership campaign, which had appeared badly damaged when the five suspensions were announced. The club’s chairman, Andrew Pridham, had acknowledged that the decision had effectively weakened the Swans’ prospects, but the players responded by defeating a Brisbane side that had entered the finals as one of the competition’s strongest teams.
AFL chairman Craig Drummond praised Sydney’s handling of the allegations before the game, saying the club’s decision to suspend the five would make football stronger. Within hours, the Swans had delivered an emphatic statement of their own on the field.
The police investigation is expected to continue beyond the finals and may extend past the October trade period, creating uncertainty over the futures of the suspended players. The AFL is also expected to consider whether further action is appropriate, while remaining constrained by the fact that the matter is still under police investigation.
For now, however, Sydney has a preliminary final to prepare for and a week to recover. The club’s most difficult period in years has produced one of its most convincing wins.
