With a record crowd behind them, Sydney’s AFLW team have put the club’s AFL team’s hotel scandal aside to claim a 24-point win over Essendon at the SCG.

The Swans’ women’s team have been caught in the crossfire of the sport’s most shattering off-field scandal in years, which completely overshadowed a maiden AFLW-AFLW double header at the SCG.

On Thursday, five AFL players - Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon - were suspended for the rest of the season for “breaching club standards”.

Separately a police investigation continues into an alleged sexual assault at East Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel in the early hours of Monday morning.

AFLW captain Lucy McEvoy - who urged Sydney fans to stick with the club amid talk fans could walk out ahead of the men’s clash with North Melbourne - fielded questions about the scandal ahead of a huge game.

But with a record crowd of 16,672 fans behind them, Colin O’Riordan’s Swans put that back of mind and broke away for a 9.12 (66) to 6.6 (42) victory that delivered a 2-0 record.

“It’s amazing,” McEvoy told Fox Footy.

“We weren’t sure what we were going to be expecting this week but to see the support that we’ve received today is just unbelievable.

“Our members and fans are so tight and they know that we’re united as a club and we’re better than what we were at the start of the week.

“And I’m just so grateful to have the support that we do today and the girls were able to turn it on for them, so it was really good.

The announcement of the crowd - more than double the Swans’ previous record - was met with a huge roar and delighted the players.

“Even when we ran out to start the game through the banner, it was just absolutely unbelievable,” McEvoy said.

“We had a few nervous girls, that’s for sure, but we absolutely turned it on.”

Laura Gardiner (31 disposals, six clearances and a goal) was huge along with Sofia Hurley (23 disposals, 10 tackles, one goal), Ally Morphett (30 hitouts, eight clearances, 18 disposals).

Taylor Smith kicked two goals while Zippy Fish (23 disposals, nine intercepts) and McEvoy were strong.

Essendon’s Maddison Prespakis (32 disposals) was immense with help from Amy Gaylor (22 disposals), Georgia Nanscawen (13 contested possessions) and Sophie Alexander (three goals).

Sydney were wasteful early and Bonnie Toogood snapped the Bombers out to a game-high nine-point lead in the third quarter.

But then the Swans exploded to life.

Superstar Chloe Molloy put the Swans back in front - celebrating her goal with a ‘W’ sign with her hands - and Sydney never looked back, kicking away.

The Swans never looked back.

Bomber Maddi Gay was forced off with a right shoulder/collarbone injury late in the fourth quarter.

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