SYDNEY has conceded the actions and attitudes of some within the club "must change" as the Swans undertake a review of their AFL program and broader culture following a series of off-field incidents.
The club's board commissioned the examination in early September and has engaged an independent adviser as part of a process expected to be completed by the end of the year.
CEO Matthew Pavlich said the club had begun "deep work" examining whether it has broader issues with its culture and behavioural standards.
The review includes interviews with all AFL players and staff members, the club's annual end-of-season review and a broader independent process involving AFL and AFLW players, staff, commercial teams and key stakeholders.
In a letter to members on Thursday evening, Pavlich and chairman Andrew Pridham said it was already clear the behaviour of some at the club had caused significant damage.
"What is already clear from our work to-date is that the actions and attitudes of some within our club has damaged and diminished the many great things we do, and the great people who do them. This is unacceptable and must change," they wrote.
"We have a long and proud history but clearly, we have work to do to get back to the standards we have long set."
The statement followed an off-field incident after forward Tom Papley was issued a court attendance notice on Monday.
Papley received the notice for driving with a suspended licence, which the club said was due to the non-payment of a parking fine. NSW Police confirmed that during the roadside stop, a random drug test returned a positive preliminary indication. A secondary oral-fluid sample was taken for analysis.
The Swans said Papley reported the incident immediately and the club subsequently notified the AFL.
Asked whether recent incidents pointed to a broader cultural issue, Pavlich said Sydney was examining its standards with the help of independent advisers.
"I think we're looking at that right now," he told reporters earlier on Thursday.
"We've been identifying that over the last eight weeks. We've started some deep work on that with our AFL men's department, with independent advisers helping us through that. Those are the questions we're asking ourselves right now and asking our players.
"We need to be better. This is not something that anyone is stopping short of knowing that we've got a long way to go, and we've got some deep work to do understanding how we do get better for the future."
Papley's incident comes after five Swans players - Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice - were suspended by the club in August for breaching behavioural standards. The club-imposed sanctions were separate to an ongoing Victoria Police investigation into an alleged sexual assault at Melbourne's Pullman Hotel.
No charges have been laid, and AFL.com.au is not suggesting wrongdoing by any of the players.
Pavlich said the club was "bitterly disappointed" with Papley's actions and had addressed the matter with him directly on Wednesday.
"Obviously, we're bitterly disappointed that we're here talking about this today; we're really disappointed in Tom himself. We voiced that pretty directly to him yesterday," he told reporters.
"We apologise unreservedly to our members, fans, and corporate partners. We've let them down again. We must be better. It's a really disappointing time for the footy club.
"But given this is a police matter, we cannot make any further comment until such time as the secondary sample comes through and that test is validated. So we'll work through that process over the next period, and we'll update everyone after that."
Papley, who is due to appear at Waverley Local Court on November 26 for driving with a suspended licence, was also issued a 24-hour driving probation.
After the five players were stood down in August, several sponsors paused activities or player-specific arrangements, although no major sponsor publicly withdrew its overall support for the club.
Volkswagen paused activities involving the players, Nike paused relationships with its contracted athletes and Telstra suspended relevant ambassador activity, while Colgate suspended its personal partnership with Heeney, pending the outcome of the police investigation.
Pavlich said key stakeholders remain supportive, citing the club's long-standing history of upholding high cultural standards.
"We've spoken to a number of them across this last period," he said of the club's discussions with sponsors.
"We've stayed connected to them. They're disappointed, they're angry, but they're supportive. They know that over a long period, our club has upheld really high standards, and I can guarantee them and everyone that we will continue to do that."
