Sydney Swans produced a stunning 53-point victory over reigning premiers Brisbane Lions in their qualifying final at the SCG, booking a home preliminary final despite being without five key players suspended amid a police investigation into allegations of sexual assault.
The Swans ran out 21.15 (141) to 13.10 (88) winners on Saturday, taking control early and maintaining their advantage throughout the contest. Brisbane, the two-time reigning premiers, were unable to match Sydney’s pace and pressure.
Sydney led by 26 points at quarter-time and extended the margin to 30 by half-time before pulling further clear in the second half. The victory sends the Swans through to the next stage of the AFL finals with another match at the SCG.
The suspended players are Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon. The Sydney Swans ruled them out for the remainder of the 2026 season after finding that they had breached club standards following an alleged incident at a Melbourne hotel.
The club-imposed sanctions are separate from the Victoria Police investigation. No charges have been laid, and no player has been identified as having been involved in an alleged sexual assault. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/6697b76c928fb35c72ca47ec21b882ba))
Sydney coach Dean Cox had said before the match that there were no plans for the five suspended players to attend the qualifying final. The Swans had nevertheless secured a top-two finish in the regular season, earning the right to host Brisbane in the final. ([afl.com.au](https://www.afl.com.au/news/1600714))
Brisbane had beaten Sydney by 43 points when the sides met in round 16, but the Swans reversed that result emphatically when it mattered most. ([afl.com.au](https://www.afl.com.au/news/1600530/the-disruption-undermanned-sydney-swans-can-cause-to-brisbane-lions?utm_source=openai))
