We present here the study on magnetic properties and their relation to the electronic structure for c-axis oriented LaNiO3 films deposited on LaAlO3 single crystals using the rf-magnetron sputtering. Swift heavy ion irradiation induced annealing alters the unusual temperature dependent magnetic behaviour of pristine film to the paramagnetic one. X-ray absorption spectroscopic measurements, performed at O K-edge and Ni L-edge, reveal that Ni-O hybridization is increased after the initial irradiation. Charge-transfer multiplet calculations of the Ni L-edge indicate that variation of magnetic behaviour can be related to the Ni-O hybridization strength inducing a further variation in Ni spin state. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.