Swans Fans Flock to SCG Double-Header, With Some Walking Out on the Men
Sydney Swans supporters packed the SCG on 23 August 2026 for the club's first-ever double-header — the AFLW side playing Essendon, then the men's team facing North Melbourne — but the mood carried an edge that had nothing to do with the football.
The week's headlines centred on what became known as the Pullman Hotel scandal. Five Sydney players — Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon — were stood down by the club for breaching its standards on drinking and staying out late, following the team's win over Essendon in Melbourne. Separately, Victoria Police's sexual crimes squad was investigating a report of sexual assault. The ABC understood the investigation centred on a player allegedly touching a woman without her consent. Police had made no arrests and laid no charges as of the ABC's report. ABC News
The AFLW team, untouched by the saga, was given equal billing on the SCG bill — a notable shift for a competition that only began in 2017 and has often been treated as a secondary draw. ABC News All tickets to the double-header included a complimentary AFLW Swans Pass for the 2026 season, a move the club confirmed back in July. Sydney Swans
Fans made their feelings clear at the gate. Teri, a Swans supporter, brought a homemade sign reading "I'm here for the AFLW." She told the ABC she came mainly to support the women's team in light of the week's events. Another fan, David Lipman, said the women's side had "done nothing wrong" and deserved the crowd. ABC News
Some supporters went further. There were threats to walk out of the SCG after the AFLW game, skipping the men's fixture entirely — a protest aimed squarely at the club's leadership over the scandal. ABC News
Long-term member Meagan Masters told the ABC the week left her "gutted." The image of a "wholesome" club had been shattered, she said. She was "100 per cent" behind the ban on the five players for the rest of the season, and expected a record crowd for the double-header regardless. ABC News
For the AFLW, the double-header format is still finding its feet. The 2026 season opened on 10 August with a trial double-header at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, where St Kilda played Carlton and fans responded warmly to the bigger-venue experience. ABC News Sydney's turn at the SCG was always going to be a milestone. That it arrived under a cloud only sharpened what the day meant.
The women played first. Some in the crowd stayed for the men. Others did not.
