In brief
- Several Sydney Swans players spoke to police following a sexual assault report at a Melbourne hotel.
- The matter remains under investigation, with the AFL yet to take any action against the players.
This article contains references to sexual assault.
Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox says he's "extremely disappointed" after several players were linked to a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault.
Victoria Police attended the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne on Monday to investigate a sexual assault report in the early hours of the morning.
The Sydney Swans were staying at the hotel, having defeated Essendon at the nearby Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday night.
The win meant they locked in second place on the AFL ladder, guaranteeing they would play two home finals, with only an inconsequential game against 13th-placed North Melbourne remaining to complete their home-and-away season.
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On Monday morning, several media outlets reported that several players had been linked to an investigation into an alleged sexual assault.
Several media outlets later reported the names of four of the five players who had reportedly spoken to police to assist their inquiries. The players were not arrested, and no charges have been laid.
SBS News has chosen not to name the players as it has not independently verified their identities.
Police investigators were seen swarming the hotel lobby on Monday morning.
Victoria Police issued a brief statement, confirming it was investigating a sexual assault report and the "exact circumstances are yet to be established and the investigation into the incident remains ongoing".
It provided a similarly worded updated statement on Tuesday morning, which added: "Police spoke to a number of people at the hotel; however, no one has been arrested or formally interviewed at this time."
What was the reaction?
On Tuesday morning, coach Dean Cox briefly spoke to reporters outside of the Swans' Sydney headquarters for the first time since the news broke.
"Obviously extremely disappointed with what's happened, and understand the questions and we'll update as we gather more information," Cox said.
Asked if player sanctions could be expected, Cox said: "We're working our way through everything with the AFL and the relevant parties and we'll update when we get more information."
He was also asked whether he had spoken to the players involved, saying: "We'll speak as the day unfolds."
Co-captain Callum Mills also spoke briefly to waiting media at Moore Park on Tuesday morning as he and other players started to filter into the club.
"I can't really comment. There's an investigation ongoing and we don't have the facts yet," Mills said.
"Once everything is sorted and the facts are understood, then we can comment."
The group of players reportedly drove back to Sydney from Melbourne on Monday night.
On Monday, the Swans first confirmed that several players were involved in an "alleged incident".
Sydney chief executive Matthew Pavlich addressed the media later in the day, saying the matter was in the hands of police.
"Safe to say we're extremely shocked and disappointed that this has taken place and that the players have found themselves in this situation," Pavlich said.
"We are still piecing together exactly what has transpired here and have our own internal inquiries ongoing."
The incident has delayed the announcement of the AFL's 46-player All Australian squad, which was due today but has now been pushed back to next week.
What happens next?
The matter remains under police investigation.
The AFL has issued a brief statement, saying it was aware of the matter.
It has not taken any action against the players, though its integrity unit appears certain to become involved.
Unlike the NRL, the AFL does not have a strict no-fault stand-down policy on players charged with serious offences such as sexual assault.
In an unrelated case, the AFL stood down Geelong's Tanner Bruhn, who ultimately had sexual assault charges dropped, for the entire 2025 season while his case was in court.
Bruhn, who always maintained his innocence, returned to play this year.
If Sydney does choose to stand down players, it will likely become clear well before team selection later this week.
The Swans play North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.
Sydney are required to name their extended squad on Thursday evening, then cut that back to 23 players plus three emergencies on Friday.
The Swans then have a week off during the wildcard round before a home qualifying final.
— With additional reporting by Australian Associated Press.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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