Five players from the Sydney Swans have been suspended for the remainder of the 2026 Australian Football League (AFL) season following a breach of club standards at a hotel in Melbourne. The sanctions are related to an incident where players stayed out late, consumed alcohol, and brought women back to the Pullman East Melbourne hotel over a weekend.
The suspended players are Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon, and Chad Warner. Their suspensions are independent of a Victoria Police investigation into an alleged sexual assault that reportedly occurred at the hotel in the early hours of Monday morning.
According to reports, lap dancers arrived at the hotel around 4 a.m. for private sessions with the players, who had returned to the hotel earlier that morning. Witnesses reported seeing two women interacting with hotel staff, with one overheard stating she had been "touched" and felt overwhelmed. Police were subsequently called to the hotel.
The Sydney Swans chief executive, Matthew Pavlich, stated that the players were sanctioned for "staying out late, it was drinking, it was to continue their night. It was bringing women back to the hotel. It was a long way short of what we expect of our players." He emphasized that while the club is supporting the players, they will not be considered for AFL selection for the rest of the season, including finals, though they will be permitted to return to the club premises.
In a joint statement, the five players expressed deep apologies, acknowledging their behavior fell short of expected standards and values. "We know we have let down our partners and families, members, supporters, teammates, the AFLW team, corporate partners and everyone at the club and the wider community," the statement read. They accepted the club's sanction and committed to rebuilding trust.
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham called it a "sad day for the club" and offered a sincere apology to the community, fans, and corporate partners. He acknowledged that many people had been impacted by the events and that there was "deep disappointment" within the club. Pridham also noted that the five players involved are "extremely remorseful for their actions."
Pavlich clarified that coaching staff, including Dean Cox, were also at a pre-planned get-together at the hotel that evening, but their actions were not deemed inappropriate. He stressed the club's commitment to rebuilding trust with its stakeholders.
The five players reportedly traveled back to Sydney on Monday night to avoid media attention at the airport.