Sydney ruckman Tom Hickey has opened up about why he considered returning home earlier this AFL season, praising the club's support and resilience during an uncertain stretch.
Players and staff from the Swans and GWS departed Sydney on June 22, when they were given a couple of hours' notice to pack and say goodbye for what was meant to be a short stint away.
It slowly but surely became clear they weren't returning home soon.
Last week they were finally reunited with partners and children, who spent a 14-day quarantine period in Brisbane then flew to Melbourne.
It is hard to quantify the strain felt by players during such a situation.
But Hickey was understandably struggling to reconcile playing chess, table tennis, pool and cards with teammates given wife Chloe, pregnant with twins, and their two-year-old son Lou were in lockdown at home.
The 30-year-old, who shifted from Perth to Sydney after the 2020 season, admits he had "serious discussions" with the club about potentially returning home.
"It got pretty tough there for a while, I think I wouldn't have been the only person in that situation," Hickey said on the eve of his side's clash with North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.
"You want to stay and play as much footy as you can but sometimes things are bigger than that.
"Seven weeks there for her. We don't have a whole lot of support (in Sydney) but the club was incredible.
"The uncertainty was the hardest bit but my wife Chloe is an absolute trooper and was so incredible.
"I'm so grateful that I have them in my life. They told me to stay and we soldiered through."
Hickey added coach John Longmire, a firm believer in putting family first, was also immense support throughout a chapter that could easily have destroyed the Swans' top-eight hopes rather than led to wins that locked up a finals return.
"He was huge. I felt like I had the club's absolute support with whatever decision I made," he said, adding it was the same for fellow fathers like Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin.
"I don't think I've been a part of a more resilient bunch ... the boys just take everything in their stride and see the positive in every situation."
The influx of families has ensured spirits remain high despite a last-start loss to St Kilda that snapped Sydney's five-game winning streak.
"Everyone's been buoyed by having their families in town," Hickey said.
"We're such a united group.
"Footy has been incredibly fun this year, even with all the challenges."
