Swans star probed on claim banned teammate wants to leave
Sydney star James Rowbottom says he hasn’t spoken to housemate Nick Blakey about an ongoing police investigation, or a report claiming the defender is set to request a trade at the end of the AFL season.
Blakey is one of the five Swans players suspended for the remainder of the season after breaking club behavioural standards during a late night partying at the Pullman Hotel after round 23 in Melbourne.
Nick Blakey of the Swans. AFL Photos
He is one of four players who were formally interviewed by Victoria Police this week as detectives from the sexual crimes unit investigate allegations of sexual assault inside a hotel room. Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, and James Jordon are the other three who remain of interest to police, while Riley Bice has been cleared of wrongdoing but is being treated as a possible witness. No charges have been laid.
On Thursday The Age reported Blakey is likely to try to leave the Swans during the trade period in October.
The report indicates the 26-year-old’s relationship with the club has deteriorated following the suspension.
Blakey is contracted to Sydney through the end of 2031 on a deal reportedly worth more than $1m per season.
Rowbottom lives with Blakey but says he hasn’t raised the reports with his housemate.
“I haven’t spoken to Nick about those sort of details,” Rowbottom told media on Friday.
“It’s been a challenging period for him, and I’m just reaching out as a friend. Living with him adds a whole new layer to the situation, but I haven’t spoken to him about any of those specifics.
“You’ve got to sort of separate the person from the problem when you live with someone, try to offer support.
“It’s been challenging, but we are working through it. Playing footy gives you a release and a sense of normality.”
Even though Bice has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing by police, the Swans will not lift his club-imposed suspension and he will miss the AFL finals campaign.
The future of all five suspended players remains up in the air and Rowbottom would not be drawn on whether they should be allowed to remain as his teammates.
Nick Blakey (left) and James Rowbottom during the 2024 AFL Grand Final Parade. nna\Smarsh
“It’s a lot more complex than what I think or believe,” he said.
“The club is working through that with them... it’s above my pay grade I think.”
The five players will be missing from Sydney’s team when it runs out onto the SCG to face the Lions in a qualifying final on Saturday.
Blakey has grown into one of the game’s most dynamic half-back flankers and would have been in contention for this year’s All-Australian team if the incident had not resulted in him becoming ineligible.
The Age is reporting that Blakey explored a potential move to Gold Coast in 2025, due to his girlfriend, Olympic sprinter Ella Connolly, relocating to Queensland.
If Blakey is traded in October, a club may have to take him on before the full findings of the police investigation are finalised.
Blakey has ties to North Melbourne, given his father, John Blakey, played for the club. He could have joined the club under father-son rules, but instead chose the Swans via their academy.
