Fury, disbelief and trauma: Why women bear the brunt of the Swans crisis

August 20, 2026 — 3:15pm

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It should be a day of celebration for the Swans. Instead, walking into the SCG this Sunday will feel more like a funeral.

It’s a history-making day for the club. Its first double header, the AFLW team’s opening home game for the season and the first time the women have played a game on the SCG.

Sydney president Andrew Pridham admits it will be a difficult day. He may find it harder to watch than most.

Some fans are planning to boycott the men’s game (a dead rubber against North Melbourne) which follows the AFLW clash against Essendon.

Long-time Swans fan Tim Isidro is one of them. He will take his four-year-old son Freddy to the women’s game, but they won’t be sticking around to cheer on the men.

“I thought numbers would be down because of what some of the men have done and I wanted the women’s team to look up and there be bums in seats,” he said.

“I didn’t want to hang around for the men’s team because I thought what happened is gross. I wanted to show my daughter and family that as a man I step up and don’t just say things, I’m doing something, even if it is just small.”

I’m hearing Tim and Freddy won’t be alone.

The Swans will need to heed........

© The Sydney Morning Herald