Isaac Heeney wins best player award, apologises for scandal via video
Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney was named the club's best player for the third consecutive year but accepted the award by video, apologising for his role in the scandal that saw him banned in August.
The 30-year-old was absent from Thursday's awards night, banned from the club following a scandal that also affected four other players. Heeney recorded a video to accept the award, saying his time away "was heartbreaking" and admitting he thinks about "what could have been" every day.
"From the depths of my heart, I'm truly sorry for putting you through the extreme difficulty you've had to endure," he said to teammates, staff and the AFLW. He praised the team's "incredible fight" to reach the preliminary final without him and expressed excitement about training alongside them again in the 2027 season.
Heeney is a member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, a role he left before the scandal broke.
- 30 years old
- Age
- Three consecutive years
- Best player awards won
- Five total including Heeney
- Players banned in August
- 2027
- Return season
Why it mattersThe award highlights the tension between Heeney's on-field talent and his absence due to club sanctions, signalling a fractured team preparing for his return.
AustraliaA key Sydney Swans player remains sidelined, affecting the club's prospects for next season as they work toward rebuilding after the scandal.
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