The AFL has banned GWS Giants player Josh Fahey for four matches and forward Jake Riccardi is among teammates who will miss the first two games of next season. The sanctions are among bans and fines handed down by the league after a joint investigation with the Giants into a players’ end-of-season function last month.

Joe Fonti, Toby McMullin, Harvey Thomas and Cooper Hamilton were also banned for two matches.

Captain Toby Greene and fellow senior players Lachie Whitfield, Connor Idun, Tom Green, Sam Taylor and Lachie Keeffe were fined $5,000 each for not displaying “appropriate levels of leadership” in their failure to stop the acts continuing. Harry Perryman, who has since joined Collingwood, has also been fined $5,000.

In announcing the penalties late on Thursday afternoon, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the players involved had made “terrible choices”.

Dillon confirmed an anonymous complaint was made to the AFL integrity portal the day after the 18 September event, where players had a “controversial couples” dress-up theme.

“What went on at the venue was completely unacceptable … I’m really disappointed,” Dillon said.

Fahey played seven senior games for GWS last year and none this year for the Giants. Riccardi, a key forward, has played 69 games and is the most experienced of the suspended players.

The AFL said in a statement that; “Josh Fahey dressed as a former NRL player and Riccardi as a taxi driver. In the course of the skit, Fahey simulated inappropriate acts on a sex doll. Riccardi was not involved in that part of the skit”.

McMullin and Hamilton simulated the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in costume related to that event, while Thomas dressed as a particular professional sportsman and Fonti as a girl as they acted inappropriately during their skit, according to the AFL.

The sanctioned players had until Thursday morning to reply to the AFL, who punished them under the league’s conduct unbecoming rule.

“As part of this theme players dressed up in themed pairs and many performed skits connected to their costumes,” the league said in a statement. “In the view of the AFL and the club, some of the skits were completely unacceptable and totally at odds with the code’s values.”

On Thursday morning, Greene’s manager Paul Connors told SEN that Greene “needed to be better” over the function debacle.

“There is absolutely no excuse for the behaviour that took place and we’re very distressed by some of the incidents that occurred,” Giants chief executive David Matthews said in a statement.

“As a club built on the values of inclusiveness and respect for all, it was a clear breach of the club’s policies and values as well as a significant departure from the standards of behaviour that we expect of our players. We have taken these matters seriously from the outset with a full investigation by the club, alongside the AFL.”

GWS will provide further education for the entire playing group, in addition to the already mandatory education sessions in relation to violence against women, and racial and religious vilification.