Heeney 'extremely thankful' after addressing Swans club following suspension

Sydney Swans forward Isaac Heeney expressed gratitude after addressing his teammates and the club for the first time since he and four other players were suspended.

Heeney and his fellow banned teammates attended exit meetings at Swans HQ in Moore Park on Wednesday evening, following the conclusion of Sydney's 2026 season last week.

"It was really nice to address the whole club," Heeney said in a short statement.

"Extremely thankful they could give us their time and understanding … so yeah, it was really good."

First public comment since suspension

This was Heeney's first public comment since he and four teammates — Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon, and Riley Bice — were suspended by the club for a breach of standards last month.

Warner and Bice arrived at Swans HQ first, followed by Heeney, Jordon, and Blakey as a group shortly afterwards.

When questioned by reporters on whether he would apologise to his teammates, Warner said: "I don't know, we'll wait and see."

The banned players were met at the door by Swans executive general manager of football, Leon Cameron. Blakey, Jordon, and Bice did not speak to reporters.

Contract status and future

No decision has been made by Sydney on the playing futures of the five suspended players beyond this season. Warner and Jordon are contracted through 2027, while Heeney and Bice are contracted through 2028. Blakey's contract with Sydney runs through the 2031 season.

Heeney polled a team-high 26 votes at the Brownlow Medal on Monday evening, well short of medal-winner Nick Daicos's record total of 47.