The Late-Night Texts
A former Sydney Swans employee invited the author to his home on 24 August 2025, despite being engaged. The man sent a series of late-night texts asking the author to join him and later bombarded him with calls and messages after a night out at The Oak in Double Bay. The author declined every invitation and never responded to any of the texts.
The author first encountered the Swans figure in June 2024 at The Royal in Bondi, where he was drinking with friends. The Swans employee, who had previously met the author, was seen with another high-profile Swansman after a boozy lunch. During the brief catch-up, the Swans employee mentioned his girlfriend, and later asked to join the author’s group. The author accepted, but the Swans employee later suggested, “Should we get a bag?” and then invited the author to his home, claiming his girlfriend and he did not live together. The author declined, stating he had a boyfriend and did not roll that way. The Swans employee apologized and left.
The Hotel Scandal
The club’s latest scandal erupted after a night out following the Swans’ victory over Essendon at the MCG. Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice were stood down for the remainder of the 2026 season for breaching team standards by staying out late, drinking and calling three strippers to their hotel in East Melbourne. The Swans said the decision was not a judgment on sexual assault allegations, which police would determine.
Three women were hired for the private gathering at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel. One woman alleged she was the victim of multiple sexual assaults, represented by Slater & Gordon lawyer Jackson Pannam. The other two women, who were topless waitresses for the players and their friends, alleged they were subjected to sexual conduct beyond what they had agreed to, represented by Carbone Lawyers. Victoria Police described the investigation as relating to a “report of a sexual assault” and has been alerted to a possible recording of the incident.
Impact on Players and Partners
Heeney’s fallout has been severe: endorsement deals and ambassadorial roles were dropped, and he has not returned to the club since being stood down. His fiancée, Steffie Waters, has been caught up in the scandal by association. She fled to Noosa to be with her sister and brother-in-law, and photographs published by the Daily Mail show her without her engagement ring, although she has not called off the engagement.
The author’s experience with the Swans employee, who is not one of the named players in the hotel scandal, has deepened his jaundiced view of the club’s culture. He believes the broader culture reflected by the employee’s conduct is relevant, and he feels for Steffie, who has suffered through the scandal without fault.
The Swans have stated no player has been interviewed by police at this stage, and none of the men involved have been accused of wrongdoing by police. However, the investigation continues, and the picture emerging from the hotel room is becoming increasingly murky.
