The air inside the Swans boardroom is heavy with fatigue and frustration.
It had been a tense and at times combative meeting, but as talks between officials and Swans Captain/Coach Yawn Morsley stretch towards evening there is finally a sense that some progress is being made.
Around the table are Swans management, Woodpecker Top Brass, WPPA representatives, and a smattering of lawyers to keep a watchful eye on Morsleys appointed representative John Weak.
The future of the Swans is on a knife edge!
What began as a discrete cultural review has exploded into one of the biggest controversies in Woodpecker history.
Morsley and his Swans had planned a secret pre- tournament training camp last weekend in the Otago resort town of Gore, however an escalating internal dispute behind closed doors forced the camp to be cancelled, while the parties convened for a crisis meeting.
Following Hikuai Woodpecker 25, a group of up to five Swans players reportedly raised concerns regarding swans toxic team environment, prompting the Woodpecker board to commission a ‘Swans Cultural Review’.
Subsequently Morsley pushed back on the cultural review, forcefully rejecting the findings and the process that was implemented.
Now, with Woodpecker 2026 bearing down upon us, an urgent resolution is sought for the Swans.
History tells us that Morsley is well known for his old school approach, and it appears his direct/no nonsense style has become too hard to handle for many of his players.
Yawn has often talked of the wonderful mentoring he received during his Rongotie College days from Gayson Feely & Ross Grunt. Morsley states in his recently published memoirs “Gayson may have been Gay and Feely by name but there was no Touchy or Feely when it came to him telling you what he expected- Perform or you get the Bash” was Feely’s motto. Rongatai Legend Ross Grunt was a role model for Morsley and he gained great inspiration from Grunts regular Rongatai 1st XV team talk “Frunt for Grunt, you C..t”
When approached, none of the Swans players were prepared to comment publicly for fear of retribution ………., apart from Danny Muftit who was willing to talk on the condition of anonymity.
“Morsley is a bully” Muftit says. “His style of leadership and communication may have been acceptable at Rongatai College in the 80’s, but his brutal training sessions and gruff tone of voice is hurting our feelings and messing with our swan emotions. How does he expect us to perform when he calls us nasty names and raises his voice!”
According to sources on both sides of the divide, by late afternoon Sunday there seemed to be consensus around the table regarding the team environment changes to be implemented for the Swans moving forward, however Morsley was proving a hard nut to crack.
According to John Weak, the players were willing to meet all the conditions on the proposed “co-designed” player safeguarding plan, only for Morsley to “pull the rug out” from underneath them at the 11th hour.
“The Swans environment is not for Soft Cocks” said Morsley “If any players feel a bit anxious and tearful after I’ve given them a decent serve, then that’s their problem….not mine!
We’re a win at all costs franchise. That’s why we are the Champions……… and if any of the players don’t like the way we operate, they can fuck off back to the Falcons……….or where ever else they came from?”
It would be unprecedented for a team to not turn up to the Woodpecker, however without some form of resolution over the coming days? The Swans may be the first?
Guest Writer
