AFL quarantine breach: Sydney Swan Elijah Taylor suspended for season after secret rendezvous

A four-time premiership player believed banned Swan Elijah Taylor should be made to pay the hefty fine for his COVID-19 protocol breach, rather than Sydney as a football club.

Elijah Taylor is in deep water for a serious breach of the AFL’s quarantine guidelines.

Hawthorn four-time premiership great Jordan Lewis believes Elijah Taylor should pay the Swans’ fine for his COVID-19 breach out of his own pocket.

The 19-year-old has been suspended for the rest of the 2020 season and the AFL imposed a $50,000 fine — $25,000 suspended — on the Swans, after he smuggled his partner into the club’s Perth quarantine zone.

With the $25,000 to be included in the Swans’ 2021 soft cap, Lewis said an apology from Taylor wasn’t good enough.

“You do the crime you pay the fine,” Lewis said on Fox Footy.

“If you are silly enough to do that and bring someone in that you clearly know is wrong, you’ve got to front up the bill.

“You’ve got to have your head under a rock (not) to understand it’s not right … (with) the breaches (that) have already been made and the money that is still at stake for the AFL and the clubs.

“For that (fine) money to go into the (Swans’) soft cap next year, that can cripple clubs.

“He can pay it in installments … there’s got to be some sort of accountability for the player, not just an ‘oh, I’m sorry’ and we move on.

“I know he’s been suspended for the year, but it’s not good enough.”

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Elijah Taylor was visited by his partner while the Swans were in quarantine.

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The Swans were forced to apologise to the people of Western Australia over the embarrassing breach of the state’s strict quarantine rules after Taylor’s partner entered the Swans’ zone at their resort in Perth, without authorisation. That was not only a breach of AFL return to play protocols, but more significantly, Western Australian quarantine regulations.

It is yet known if Taylor will pay a portion or all of the fine as Nathan Buckley, Brenton Sanderson and Trent Cotchin have done in recent weeks.

The club could also penalise Taylor further for the secret rendezvous.

Sydney became aware on Friday night that Taylor’s partner had visited the resort where the team and officials were undertaking a strict 14-day quarantine period.

The Swans alerted the AFL and WA police as soon as they discovered the breach.

While the WA Government won’t take the matter any further, the breach won’t help the AFL’s hopes of an easing of border restrictions ahead of the finals.

AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said clear breaches of policy would not be tolerated as the protocols were “the competition’s license to play.”

“The actions by Elijah not only breach the AFL’s protocols, but made it a police matter by breaching the Western Australian COVID-19 quarantine directions,” Dillon said.

“When in quarantine the rules are clear and there is no excuse for this breach.”

Taylor has played four matches this season.

Taylor, 19, was recruited to the Swans as pick 36 in last year’s national draft from Perth. He had played four matches this season with the club, with his last one coming against Collingwood in Round 10.

Sydney chief executive Tom Harley said the club was “extremely disappointed” to find itself in this position as “our staff and players are all well aware of both the AFL protocols and the restrictions we are required to adhere to while in quarantine.”

“We have spoken to Elijah at length and he understands the seriousness of this situation, which has also been reiterated to the entire team.

“We also appreciate that the circumstances of this year are unique and challenging for everyone, and we will continue to provide support to Elijah, as well as our other staff and players who are away from their families.

“The club would like to unreservedly apologise to the WA community. Clearly the restrictions we are adhering to are designed to protect the community and any breach is unacceptable.”

WA police informed the club Taylor can continue his quarantine with the team, while his partner will also be required to quarantine for 14 days.

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