Five players from the Sydney Swans Australian Rules Football club have been suspended for the remainder of the 2026 season following an incident at a Melbourne hotel over the weekend. The suspensions were issued after the club determined the players breached its standards by staying out late, consuming alcohol, and bringing women back to the Pullman East Melbourne hotel.
The club's decision is separate from 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 some players.
The players involved are Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon, and Chad Warner. Witnesses reported seeing two women at the hotel around 7 a.m. Monday, with one overheard telling staff she had felt "touched" and overwhelmed by several men in a room. Another witness described one woman as appearing "hysterical" and "upset."
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." He emphasized that this behavior fell "a long way short of what we expect of our players." Pavlich added that the club is "not abandoning our players" but is supporting them through this difficult period. The suspended players will not be considered for AFL selection for the remainder of the season, including finals, but will be permitted to return to the club's facilities.
The five players issued a joint statement expressing their remorse: "We are deeply sorry to everyone involved. We know that our behaviour has fallen well short of the standards expected of us and the values of our club." They acknowledged letting down partners, families, members, supporters, teammates, the AFLW team, corporate partners, and the wider community. They accepted the club's sanction and apologized for the impact of their actions.
Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham called it a "sad day for the club" and offered a "sincere apology to the community, our fans and members, our corporate partners." He stated that the club is dealing with the matter "as quickly as we can, as honestly as we can" and that their thoughts are with everyone impacted by the events. Pridham added that the five players are "extremely remorseful for their actions and having breached the club standards."
Victoria Police confirmed they are investigating a report of sexual assault at the hotel. The five players reportedly traveled back to Sydney on Monday night to avoid media attention at the airport. 
