The Sydney Swans have stood down five players for the remainder of the AFL season for breaching club standards, as Victoria Police investigate allegations of sexual assault at a team hotel.
Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon and Chad Warner will not be considered for selection for the rest of the 2026 campaign, the club announced on Wednesday.
The Sydney Swans compete in the Australian Football League, the country's top professional Australian rules football competition. The five men have each played at least 20 of the team's 22 games this year. Their suspensions throw the club's premiership hopes into chaos just as they cemented second place on the ladder and secured a home qualifying final.
The club said the disciplinary action was taken independently of the ongoing police investigation into an alleged incident early on Monday morning.
"The AFL is supportive of the club's sanctions," the Swans said in a statement. "We respect there is an ongoing investigation by Victoria Police and the actions we have taken today are independent of this."
The club added that it recognised the serious impact the alleged incident had on the women involved and expressed concern for their wellbeing.
Media front
Swans chair Andrew Pridham and chief executive Matthew Pavlich are scheduled to address the media at 12pm.
Arriving at the club's headquarters shortly before 7am, a dejected coach Dean Cox was tight-lipped but admitted there was a feeling of disappointment within the team.
"The club will make a statement," Cox told reporters. Asked if the club was disappointed, he replied: "Yeah there is."
The suspended players remained silent as they arrived at the facility.
Hotel incident
The suspensions come as police continue to investigate a report of sexual assault involving Swans players at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel, located 200m from the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The team was staying at the hotel following a 36-point victory over Essendon on Sunday afternoon.
According to a source, a player arranged for at least two women to visit the hotel in the early hours of Monday, after more than six teammates had gone out for dinner and drinks to celebrate the win.
Players reportedly returned to the Pullman in several groups between 2.15am and 3.40am, with some allegedly heard yelling on the street.
The women at the centre of the allegations are said to have arrived after 4am.
The allegations stem from a dispute over a perceived breach of personal boundaries, after a woman claimed an understanding about what was "off limits" had been violated, leading to a commotion inside one of the players' rooms.
One woman then left the room and went downstairs, where she confronted hotel and club staff. People in the lobby heard a visibly upset woman say she had been "inappropriately touched".
Police response
Victoria Police attended the hotel and confirmed officers were investigating a report of sexual assault.
Heeney, Warner, Jordon and Bice were interviewed by police as part of the inquiry.
"Police spoke to a number of people at the hotel, however no one has been arrested or formally interviewed at this time," a police spokesperson said.
The five suspended players reportedly drove back to Sydney on Monday night to avoid the media at the airport.
AFL statement
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon released a statement on Tuesday calling for respect for the police process and the privacy of the woman involved.
"The woman who made the report to police is entitled to privacy and care, and that should be respected," Dillon said. "It is important that the police process is allowed to run its course."
"Sexual assault allegations are serious, regardless of who is involved, what time of year it is, or what they may mean for a season. Our first question should not be what this means for a football club. It should be whether our actions match the standards we stand for and the community expects of us."
Dillon added that the sport was clear about the values it stands for and the need to uphold them.
"Being clear about our standards also means being prepared to act when those standards are not met," he said. "Notwithstanding the ongoing police investigation, the AFL and the Sydney Swans will consider the broader conduct of the players as more information comes to light."
The Swans are scheduled to play North Melbourne in the final round of the regular season at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday afternoon.
