The Sydney Swans have long prided themselves on their culture.
asserted
Swans → pride → culture
A club review will test whether that still holds.
asserted
that → test → ?
On Friday Victoria Police confirmed that no charges would be laid over the Pullman hotel investigation because of insufficient evidence, but the club's own examination of its AFL program, commissioned by the board in early September, is far from over.
asserted
examination → confirm → September
In a statement, the club said it was "committed to acting on the findings and implementing meaningful change to build an environment that players, staff, members, supporters and corporate partners can be proud of".
asserted
players → say → that
If it is done properly, it will be a confronting review.
asserted
it → do → ?
Reform is difficult for any organisation, let alone a winning football club that believes its "Bloods culture" is a defining trait.
asserted
culture → let → organisation
In reality, culture reflects the actions and standards accepted by those in charge.
asserted
culture → reflect → charge
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham and chief executive Matthew Pavlich told members in a letter last week the review was underway.
asserted
review → tell → letter
The review has three phases.
asserted
review → have → phases
Pavlich and another senior club executive will interview all AFL players and staff.
asserted
Pavlich → interview → players
The club will also run its usual "annual AFL end of season review".
asserted
club → run → review
The third is a board-endorsed independent process, led by Natasha de Silva, founder of workplace culture firm Intersection, "to provide advice on the club's various protocols and programs".
asserted
third → endorse → protocols
Pavlich, an Australian Football Hall of Fame member who played 353 games for Fremantle, is in his first year as a rookie chief executive, seeing the sport from an entirely different perspective.
asserted
who → play → perspective
It is not clear how far the Swans' review will reach.
asserted
review → reach → ?
The letter from Pridham and Pavlich said the independent phase would involve AFL and AFLW players, staff, commercial teams and "key stakeholders", but did not say whether it would extend to the club's executives, board or the academy.
asserted
it → say → executives
Nor has the club said whether the findings will be released.
asserted
findings → say → ?
Given the scale of the apology and the trust it says it must rebuild, members will reasonably expect to see them.
asserted
members → give → them
The review is due by the end of the year, but it might be wiser to take longer.
uncertain
it → take → year
"Rebuilding trust will not come from our words, but rather our actions," Pridham and Pavlich have promised.
asserted
Pridham → rebuild → words
The club must also decide how to reintegrate four of the five players it stood down in August for breaching club standards: Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordon and Riley Bice, who was earlier cleared in the police investigation.
asserted
who → decide → investigation
The fifth, Nick Blakey, joined North Melbourne during the trade period and has begun the preseason with his new club.
asserted
fifth → join → club
Asked whether the others could return when Swans training resumes, Pavlich said no decision had been made.
uncertain
decision → ask → ?
"We've been in constant contact with the players through the whole process," Pavlich said.
asserted
Pavlich → say → process
"I think they realise that today's a moment for them to move forward.
asserted
them → think → ?
It's a time for everyone to move forward, and at some point they'll be back here at training and back with their teammates, and that's going to be an important step.
asserted
that → move → teammates
But moving forward may not be simple.
uncertain
moving → move → ?
Lawyers confirmed on Friday that three women are pursuing civil claims related to the allegations, and lawyers for two of them say their claim is against the club.
uncertain
claim → confirm → club
Asked about the civil proceedings at his press conference on Friday, Pavlich said any future issue would be dealt with "as it comes".
asserted
it → ask → Friday
The Aporia
