Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann denies wild Las Vegas trip is the reason for stuttering start to AFL season – as crisis meeting is revealed following leaked WhatsApp group chat

Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann has denied suggestions a wild Las Vegas trip last November is the reason for the team’s stuttering start to the 2024 AFL season – as a leaked WhatsApp group chat threatens to cause chaos.

The denial from Swann comes despite a crisis meeting being staged on Good Friday involving the club’s leadership group.

According to News Corp, the meeting addressed ‘rifts’ that unfolded in Sin City, with the travelling party of about 10 people mostly players.

It is understood one member who travelled to the US accidentally uploaded a WhatsApp group chat to iCloud on his phone.

That person’s partner then accessed the WhatsApp group chat back home which detailed what was happening overseas.

Those messages were then shared with other partners, who were said to be furious at some of the wild antics outlined in the group chat.

Veteran AFL reporter Caroline Wilson confirmed on 3AW Radio some players departed the end of season trip early.

‘Some photographs – nothing hugely incriminating – but some photographs that partners weren’t happy about might have accidentally been sent home,’ Wilson said.

‘Some players went home early as a result of this and at least one key player and his partner have [since] broken up.

‘Whether that was purely because of what happened on the trip or not I don’t know.

‘It is also true that some players were not happy that they might have been exposed.

‘Danny Daly the head of footy at the Lions, as a result of the reporting and the rumours on Monday called [co-captain] Harris Andrews and he called Lachie Neale and he said ‘look you have to come clean with me is there anything in this? Is there a split in the playing group, are people blueing?’

‘The two leaders vehemently denied this.’

Lions chief executive Swann also insisted the playing group remains united. 

‘Is there a split in a group?’ Well, no there isn’t,’ Swann said.

‘It’s just bulls***. There’s no split in the group. This [trip] was in November, by the way. It’s not the reason we’re going no good.

‘It’s just that a few of our good blokes are out of form. ‘We asked all the leaders again and they said, ‘No, there’s nothing in it at all’ in terms of a split in the group.’

On Friday, a report claimed some Brisbane Lions stars have split up with their partners due to the messy fallout from the end-of-season trip – and teammates are having ‘tough conversations’ with each other as a result.

Footy reporter Sam McLure raised the claims on radio station 3AW, saying sources in the team insist the playing group remain on the same page, despite the drama.

‘From what people inside the club have told me, it’s certainly been a few headaches since the trip to America late last year between 10 players, a fair chunk of which were Brisbane players,’ McClure said.

‘It ended in Las Vegas and certain information got home to loved ones that didn’t go down too well.

‘It’s caused rifts in some relationships. It’s caused other relationships to end between players and partners.

‘There’s even suggestions put to me today that it has caused some tough conversations to be had between teammates as to what went on on that US trip.’

After the season-opening loss to Carlton, Lions superstar Neale erupted with an uncharacteristic outburst as he accused some players of ‘sh***ing’ on their teammates.

‘[There was] a little bit of selfishness….we probably chose some easy options,’ he said after the Blues came roaring back from a big deficit to win.

‘We didn’t dig in and basically, you’re sh***ing on your teammates.’ 

After the defeat to Collingwood on Thursday night – Brisbane’s third on the trot – coach Chris Fagan admitted they were in a ‘little slump’ and it was his job to help his players rediscover their game day magic.

He also conceded the answer to their shocking form is ‘not obvious.’

‘Some of our players are not at their best at the moment; I can’t explain to you why,’ he said.

‘That’s sport for you. ‘It’s a good challenge. You talk to them about what they’re good at, reinforce that.

‘Form comes and goes. So it’s just positivity, but honesty as well. They’ve been good players, we won’t be pushing the panic button.

‘I’ve trusted them a long time and they’ve delivered, so I’m not going to jump off them just because we’ve lost three in a row.’