Five Sydney Swans players—Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice—are returning to the club to face their teammates for the first time since being suspended for breaching club standards following a post-match party at the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne. The returns matter because the players have been absent from the club since the incident and the club must manage the reintegration whilst a separate Victoria Police investigation into sexual assault allegations remains ongoing.

The five players were stood down after a gathering in August, with police investigating reports made by three women. Bice has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, whilst police have interviewed the other four players. All five are expected to remain at the club through the 2027 season, though Nick Blakey—reported to be dissatisfied with the club's handling of the situation—may reconsider his future depending on how he is received by teammates and coaches. The police investigation has an eight-week timeline, overlapping with the October trade and free agency period.