Swans Men's and Women's Teams Draw Closer Through Pullman Hotel Scandal
Sydney Swans AFLW star Cynthia Hamilton says the club's men's and women's squads have grown closer amid the Pullman Hotel scandal, describing the response as "actually kind of beautiful" ABC News.
Hamilton pointed to the small things. Morning breathwork sessions. Players from both squads gathering together. Swans co-captain Errol Gulden has been instrumental, bringing men's and women's players together for the breathing exercises. "The boys have really brought the two groups together," Hamilton said.
The scandal centres on an alleged incident at the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne on Monday 17 August. Victoria Police seized a secret audio recording connected to sexual assault allegations, reportedly including interaction between Swans assistant coach Dean Cox and women in the hotel foyer Fox Sports. The women involved gave statements to police in the days that followed The Age.
Five Swans men's players are serving club-imposed bans and won't play again this season. Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey — all All-Australian contenders before being ruled ineligible — are joined by James Jordon and Riley Bice ABC News.
The fallout cut two ways at the gate. The men's side drew its lowest SCG crowd of the season, 30,058, for a win over North Melbourne. The women's team, playing in the immediate aftermath of the scandal breaking, pulled 16,672 to the SCG for a victory over Essendon — more than double Sydney's previous highest home AFLW crowd.
Then the mood shifted. In their first final, the men bounced reigning premiers Brisbane by 53 points in front of 37,261 at the SCG. Support returned.
Hamilton, for her part, urged fans to stick with the club. She vowed the team won't disappoint in Sunday's Sydney derby against GWS at Henson Park. Sydney and GWS have split their four previous AFLW derbies, two wins each.
The Swans women enter the derby fifth on the ladder after a 27-point loss to the Western Bulldogs — their first defeat of the season. GWS sit 14th, on a three-game losing streak after a 31-point away loss to the Lions.
Even the opposition is backing the occasion. GWS forward Tarni Evans urged fans to support the AFLW fixture and threw her weight behind the Swans.
For a club under extraordinary pressure, the convergence has been organic. Not a campaign or a slogan. Players showing up for each other, one breathwork session at a time.
