Fresh details have emerged about the Sydney Swans‘ hotel scandal as star defender Nick Blakey secures a sensational move to North Melbourne amid a bitter fallout with club bosses.
Blakey has been granted his wish to leave the Swans, signing an eight-year deal with his father’s old club the Kangaroos, reportedly worth close to $12million, despite having five years remaining on his existing contract.
His departure from the club follows a well-publicised night partying at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel on August 17 that led to five players – Blakey among them – being suspended for breaking club rules.
The Swans were premiership contenders but the bans for Blakey and his ‘Pullman Five’ teammates – Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordon and Riley Bice – effectively blew up their AFL season.
The suspensions are separate to alleged sexual assaults inside one of the hotel’s rooms after adult entertainers were brought in to help celebrate a win over Essendon.
Four of the five players are still involved in an ongoing police investigation, while Bice is being treated only as a witness.
No charges have been laid in connection with the incident.
Now, fresh details have emerged about Blakey’s movements that night, with a report claiming he had little knowledge of what allegedly unfolded inside the hotel room.
Blakey was granted his wish to leave the Swans last week, signing an eight-year deal with the Kangaroos despite an ongoing police investigation
James Jordan, Isaac Heeney and Nick Blakey (left to right)
He had returned to the Pullman Hotel about 3.30am, roughly an hour after the other players, following a night out in Melbourne that had been approved by the Swans, reported the Herald Sun.
Blakey then spent some time at a gathering on the eighth floor before leaving for bed.
He was said to have been unaware of the alleged incident which later prompted the police investigation.
He was also reportedly not involved in arranging for the adult entertainers to attend.
He had been drinking and remained out late, but left the room before the alleged dispute occurred, according to the report.
The following morning, Blakey was preparing to leave for the airport when the Swans’ team manager then called and instructed him to get off the bus and to return to the hotel.
He was said to have been unaware of the reason for the request and was later blindsided when the club announced that he and four teammates had been suspended for the remainder of the season.
The match bans and the Swans’ handling of the scandal is believed to have widened a rift between Blakey and the club that had been developing for months.
Blakey returned to the Pullman Hotel at about 3.30am on the morning of the incident after a night out that the Swans had reportedly permitted
Nick Blakey and partner, sprinter Emma Connolly
Tensions had already been mounting following rumours that officials had previously considered trading him.
Most recently, he is understood to be furious he was told not to attend the club’s best-and-fairest awards night amid the fallout from the hotel scandal.
Blakey’s move to the Kangaroos was confirmed on October 13.
North Melbourne carries a strong family connection, with Blakey’s father, John, having played 224 games and won two premierships with the club.
The timing of the contract offer has been criticised, however, with the police investigation not yet concluded.
It’s understood the AFL did not step in to advise North Melbourne against recruiting the defender.
The Swans’ statement confirming Blakey’s exit was brief on praise for the defender, who played 173 games for the club after making his debut in 2019.
Instead, the announcement focused on the draft picks Sydney secured in the deal, under the headline ‘Swans secure top picks for Nick Blakey’.
The Kangaroos faced backlash for recruiting Blakey amid the ongoing police investigation
News of Blakey’s move comes amid a growing rift between the defender and Swans bosses
‘Blakey leaves the Sydney Swans having chalked up 173 games in the red and white since debuting in 2019. A QBE Sydney Swans Academy athlete, Blakey was initially drafted with pick 10 in 2018, after the Swans matched a bid from GWS,’ the statement said.
The Swans’ head of list strategy and player personnel, Chris Keane, said securing a top-10 draft pick was a major boost for the club as it looks to strengthen its playing list.
‘Having a pick inside the top 10 is extremely valuable and not something we have had for a number of years, so we will get to work on landing the best player available,’ Keane said.
He also acknowledged Blakey’s contribution over his time at Sydney, thanking the defender for his service and wishing him success at his new club.
‘We thank Nick for his contribution to our football club since being drafted in 2018 and he leaves our club as a life member having played over 150 games.
‘On behalf of the club I wish Nick all the very best as he continues his career at the Kangaroos,’ he added.
