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Victoria Police will not lay criminal charges against four Sydney Swans players who were under investigation for an alleged incident at the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne, the force said in a statement on November 13. The decision followed reports of sexual assault made by three women in the early hours of August 17 after the Swans had defeated Essendon by 36 points at the Melbourne Cricket Ground the previous afternoon, according to a Victoria Police summary. Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordon and Nick Blakey, who now plays for North Melbourne, assisted with the probe but will face no further action on the criminal side, the statement added. Victoria Police cited legal advice in reaching its conclusion while noting that an ongoing civil matter meant it could not comment further.
The players had been suspended by the Sydney Swans along with Riley Bice in August for a serious breach of club behavioural standards that included drinking and bringing women back to the hotel, the club said at the time. Those suspensions, which covered the final round and the team’s two finals appearances, were separate from the police investigation that treated Bice and two others as witnesses, according to reports from The Guardian and AFL.com.au. The club had notified the AFL and authorities immediately upon becoming aware of the allegations, its statements showed.
Isaac Heeney welcomed the police announcement in a statement released on November 13. “I welcome today’s announcement from Victorian Police,” Heeney said. “The past three months have been incredibly difficult for my family, Steffie and those close to me.” The vice-captain indicated he would now focus on moving forward with support from those around him, the statement continued.
The events, which drew widespread coverage across Australian sport, contributed to the Swans’ exit from the 2026 finals series in the preliminary final after the suspensions disrupted team preparations, AFL.com.au reported. Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham described the impact as having “torpedoed” the club’s premiership bid, according to the same outlet. The Swans had extended apologies to members, fans, sponsors and the broader community for the distress caused, the club said in statements issued during the investigation.
Victoria Police detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad had travelled to New South Wales in early September to interview the four men, a force update from that period confirmed. At the time police indicated they had identified all individuals present in the hotel room and did not expect to issue further updates for approximately eight weeks, their September statement showed. The investigation remained active until the November 13 announcement that no charges would be pursued.
The matter, sometimes referred to in coverage as involving the “Pullman Five,” highlighted the AFL’s emphasis on player conduct standards that operate independently of criminal proceedings, according to club and league statements. No arrests were made at any point during the probe, Victoria Police records confirm. The resolution of the criminal aspect leaves only the separate civil proceedings outstanding.
