Tim Worner may have survived as the chief executive of the AFL's free-to-air broadcaster, but on any reasonable analysis his position as a director of the Sydney Swans has become untenable.

The Seven Network's handling of the Worner affair is a corporate issue for Kerry Stokes and his board but at a time when the AFL is holding its players, coaches and officials to higher-than-ever behavioural standards surely club board members also must remain accountable.

This is a difficult time for Swans chairman Andrew Pridham and his Sydney board. Like AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan, Pridham's relationship with Worner is way beyond simply professional and, like McLachlan and Worner's other AFL friends, he feels badly for him and his family.

The impression is that the Swans would rather this situation was handled quietly and with more distance between any proposed departure from the board and the scandal, which has been reignited in recent days through Amber Harrison's Twitter account.

But as Pridham, like so many chairmen before him, has said and said again last week: "Nobody is bigger than the football club."

The Swans chairman has been in regular touch with Worner and is expected to meet him in the coming days to discuss the situation. When the conversation turns to the highly sensitive issue of Worner's board position, the discussion will surely result in Worner's resignation.

This is not about the fact that Worner had an affair with a staff member. Even though he was clearly her superior, the story is, after all, one of consenting adults. But like so many AFL scandals, more damage was done in dealing with the cover-up and by so many measures the financial handling in this instance smacks of hush money and old school boys' club tactics.

Text message evidence provided by Harrison strongly suggests Worner used illicit drugs on company time, an allegation he has denied but an allegation that should be of some concern to Pridham and his board.

Even though Worner was not a Swans director at the time of the alleged incident, it is worth mentioning that Sydney stood down and further punished footballer Michael Talia last season after he was arrested for cocaine possession. This again presents the comparison between standards for players and standards for club directors.

And timing is not on Worner's side when it comes to the current AFL landscape. McLachlan pledged more than a year ago to revisit and reform the game's Respect and Responsibility Policy – a promise delivered after the Dustin Martin Japanese restaurant incident – but only now has serious work begun on a new document that is expected to be completed by June.

Kate Jenkins, of the federal Human Rights Commission, is heading the review, which is being driven at executive level by new AFL social policy boss Tanya Hosch. The review panel includes former Victorian Police chief Ken Lay and Mary Barry of Our Watch.

Club directors are already accountable under that policy and now more than ever good governance at club board level is an AFL priority. There is no suggestion that this will change, nor should it. Although an external investigation failed to unseat Worner at the Seven Network, it is worth pointing out that one Seven board member, Sheila McGregor, immediately resigned citing "ethical concerns".

The Swans have one woman director in Alexandra Goodfellow and are about to introduce another in former long-serving AFL commissioner Sam Mostyn. There is no suggestion their view is in contrast to that of other directors, but if there is a strong female view regarding Worner's position then it should be taken on board. Why else introduce women into the AFL culture if they cannot shake it up?

Sydney might prefer that this entire affair disappear; a view clearly shared by Seven West Media Limited and probably the AFL. But not to take a stand would send a poor message to AFL players, coaches and officials, not to mention the hundreds of new women who have joined the industry this year via the new national women's league.

Worner, according to the club, has been a valuable and popular director. Even if the club resiles from making the tough call, he should be smart enough to do the right thing by the biggest sporting club in New South Wales and its board table and walk away.