Isaac Heeney has won Sydney’s best and fairest award following his club imposed sanction for breaching club standards.
Heeney was absent from the ceremony as he claimed his third Bob Skilton Medal in a row, with teammates Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon also avoiding the event.
The five players were banned from playing for the Swans for breaching club standards over late night partying at East Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel following a match on August 16.
Police are separately investigating an allegation of sexual assault on the same night, with Heeney, Jordon, Blakey and Warner interviewed by police. No charges have been laid and the ABC is not suggesting any wrongdoing on the part of the suspended players.
The club had announced earlier in the week that the five players would not attend the club’s awards night, as Heeney became the 11th player in South Melbourne and Sydney Swans history to claim three best and fairest titles.
In his awards ceremony speech, Swans chairman Andrew Pridham said the reasoning behind the club’s eligibility criteria was two-fold — protecting the integrity of votes; and ensuring off-field matters were separate from on-field performance.
“We do not believe it would have been appropriate to retrospectively remove votes that have already been cast owing to the subsequent incident,” Pridham said.
“The medals awarded tonight acknowledge on-field performance across the season.
“Erasing a season of football after the fact would, in our opinion, be inappropriate and in excess of a sanction.
“I can assure you that we did not make any decisions we have made in recent times like that.
“I respect that some people in this room and beyond may not agree with where we have landed tonight.
“It has been very, very difficult, but let me be equally clear that these decisions to allow the players to remain eligible does not diminish our concern and respect for everyone involved in this.”
Ruckman Brodie Grundy finished second, with key forward Charlie Curnow in third.
In other club best and fairest results on Thursday night, Bailey Smith claimed his first Carji Greeves Medal at the Cats and grand final day hero Will Ashcroft took home his first Merrett-Murray Medal at the Lions.Â
Want-away Essendon skipper Zach Merrett made history with his seventh Crichton Medal, equalling the record set by Bombers legends Dick Reynolds and Bill Hutchison.
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