Isaac Heeney’s ‘in-season saint’ claim resurfaces after Swans star was banned over late-night hotel gathering
Isaac Heeney once described himself as an ‘in-season saint’ who generally avoided getting carried away while drinking during the AFL season.
The Sydney Swans superstar made the claim during a 2025 interview with News Corp when questioned about the rules surrounding alcohol at AFL clubs.
His comments have resurfaced after Heeney and four teammates were suspended for the remainder of the 2026 season over their conduct following Sydney’s victory against Essendon.
Heeney was asked during the earlier interview: ‘Are you allowed to drink alcohol during the season?’
‘You really only have a few drinks when there’s an eight-day, like a longer break between games,’ he replied.
‘So if you’re seven to seven, like, say, Saturday till Saturday, from game to game, you can have a few drinks but you sort of look after yourself.
Isaac Heeney described himself as an ‘in-season saint’ during a 2025 interview about drinking within the AFL season
Heeney’s fiancée Steffie Waters remains engaged to the footballer amid intense scrutiny
‘If it’s a Saturday to a Sunday game, you can have a few beers to loosen up.
‘But even then, throughout the season you generally don’t get carried away.
‘You can go and have a bit of a release and a bit of fun with the fellas or your mates or whoever it is.
‘I’m a bit of a saint in season, then loosen up in the off-season.’
The remarks have taken on fresh significance after the Swans imposed season-ending bans on Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon.
The club found the five players had breached its behavioural standards by drinking, staying out late and bringing women back to the Pullman East Melbourne hotel early last Monday morning.
The gathering took place after Sydney defeated Essendon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and secured a home qualifying final.
The bans include the entire finals series, dealing a severe blow to the club’s premiership campaign.
Publisher Allen & Unwin suspended Heeney’s children’s book series as commercial consequences mount following the Swans hotel scandal
Victoria Police continues investigating a reported sexual assault at the hotel, with no criminal charges laid to date
The club’s disciplinary action was imposed independently of a Victoria Police investigation into a reported sexual assault at the hotel.
No charges have been laid. It is not suggested that any of the five suspended players has been accused of sexual assault.
The players apologised collectively after accepting their sanctions.
‘We are deeply sorry to everyone involved,’ their statement said.
‘We know that our behaviour has fallen well short of the standards expected of us and the values of our Club.
‘We know we have let down our partners and families, members, supporters, teammates, the AFLW team, corporate partners and everyone at the Club and in the wider community.’
The scandal has also placed intense scrutiny on Heeney’s private life and his engagement to longtime partner Steffie Waters.
Waters was pictured without her engagement ring while staying near Noosa during the fallout, initially raising questions about the couple’s wedding.
However, a relative subsequently said the couple remained together and continued to plan their big day.
The relative explained that Waters had not been wearing her ring because it was undergoing repairs after its stone fell out.
‘They got engaged, he’s meant to be playing in a grand final, they are planning a wedding. This is meant to be the best time of their lives,’ a source said.
Heeney remained absent as Sydney defeated North Melbourne by 53 points at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Hundreds of supporters left after the preceding AFLW match, while those who remained gave the men’s team a standing ovation following its emotional victory.
