Sydney small forward Sam Wicks available for selection following dispute with teammate

The Swans forward will be available for selection after he was left out of AFL and VFL squads over the weekend following a dispute with a teammate over an off-field incident.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 15: Sam Wicks of the Swans celebrates a goal during the 2024 AFL Round 01 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 15, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Sydney small forward Sam Wicks will be available for selection against West Coast this Saturday after taking time away from football following an argument with a teammate but isn’t locked in for a return.

Wicks was a part of the Swans’ side for their opening three rounds of the year, however, the 24-year-old was omitted from both their AFL and VFL teams on Sunday to take on Richmond.

It was later reported that Wicks had been involved in a dispute with a teammate over an ex-girlfriend with tension coming to a head during a night out.

An internal investigation by the Swans found no evidence of any wrongdoing, but the club took the unusual step of allowing Wicks to remain in Sydney for the weekend to give him the space to move on from the incident.

Quizzed about the decision following the Swans’ five-point loss to Richmond, John Longmire was quick to hose down the story.

“We made a decision based on our best team to win,” he said. “I’m not going into that.”

Longmire appeared on AFL 360 on Monday night, and said it was something the club was working through.

“I’ve been involved in footy over 20 years and a lot of the things you’re involved in are non-football related, and it’s one of those things you work through and we believe we’ve worked through it well,” he said.

“We’re mature enough to work through that.”

Longmire said he was “not sure yet” as to if he would play in Gather Round, and would “see how the week progresses”, with Taylor Adams and Harry Cunningham also available for selection.

Wicks has been on the fringes of Sydney’s best 23 for the past 12 months and started the first two games of the year as the substitute.

The Swans lost their first game of the season without Wicks in the side. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

However, he proved himself to be one of the club’s best pressure forwards with the highest average for tackles inside 50 in 2023. That was an area where they desperately struggled against Richmond, finishing with just four tackles inside 50 to the Tigers’ 14.

Wicks is no guarantee to return to take on the Eagles as Longmire prepares to deal with several headaches at the selection table.

Former Collingwood vice-captain Taylor Adams is set to be named for his first match in Swans colours after making a successful return through the VFL. With places limited in the Sydney midfield, Adams could start at half-forward, limiting Wicks’ options.

Harry Cunningham will also come into contention as he enters the final stages of concussion protocols. The experienced small defender could come straight into the side for Dane Rampe who is waiting on scans after being subbed out of the Tigers’ match with hamstring tightness.

Some players were also impacted by the flu last weekend which limited their output, including Joel Hamling who didn’t feature in the VFL.

Wicks has played 53 matches across five seasons at the Swans but has struggled to cement his place in the line-up over the past two years.

In his one full game for the season against Essendon in round two, Wicks finished with 11 disposals, three tackles and no goals to his name.

Originally published as Sydney small forward Sam Wicks available for selection following dispute with teammate