Swans AFLW captain McEvoy speaks out: "All women deserve respect"
Sydney Swans AFLW captain Lucy McEvoy and coach Colin O'Riordan fronted the media on 21 August 2026, addressing the fallout from a sexual assault scandal that has engulfed the club's men's program and drawn condemnation from the Prime Minister.
Five men's players — including vice-captain Isaac Heeney — were stood down for the remainder of the AFL season after being linked to a Victoria Police investigation into an alleged sexual assault at the Pullman Hotel, the Swans' team hotel in Melbourne (ABC News). Men's coach Dean Cox and captain Callum Mills held their first press conference since the scandal broke earlier the same week (ABC News).
McEvoy was direct about what the scandal means for the club. She said the Swans had taken a reputational hit and that both the men's and women's programs must work to rebuild the trust and respect of members, fans and the broader community. She backed the club's sanctions, saying the actions of the five suspended players do not reflect the values of the wider club.
O'Riordan, a former Swans men's player now coaching the AFLW side, said the sanctions reflected the seriousness of the matter and that the women's program fully supported them. He encouraged fans to attend the SCG on Sunday to back the AFLW team, saying the players deserved support.
McEvoy also spoke about the bigger picture beyond football. She said the issue at the heart of the scandal needed to be addressed in the community, calling it an important moment for all women to stand together because all women deserve respect. The AFLW playing group had held open conversations among themselves and with the club, she said, and had felt support both internally and externally.
One question remains unresolved. McEvoy said the AFLW players had not yet discussed whether they would want the five suspended men's players to return to the club, but they wanted to be part of that conversation when the time came.
The scandal has reverberated well beyond the football field. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese publicly criticised the AFL over its response, and sponsors were reported to be deserting Heeney amid the police investigation (ESPN).
For the Swans, the AFLW season offers a chance to redirect attention to the field. O'Riordan's call for fans to turn out at the SCG on Sunday carries extra weight when the men's program is in crisis and the club's standing has taken a hit. Whether the crowd responds will say something about where the club's supporters sit.
What stands out is McEvoy's insistence that the women's playing group be part of the conversation about the suspended players' futures. That is not a given at any club. In Australian football, men's and women's programs often operate as separate entities, sharing a name and colours but little else. A captain asking for a seat at that table shifts the dynamic.
