Four prominent Australian Football League players will face no criminal charges following a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault at a Melbourne hotel in August, authorities announced on Friday.
According to BBC News, Victoria Police determined there was insufficient evidence to proceed with prosecution. The decision came after what police described as a "thorough investigation and based on legal advice". The four Sydney Swans players under investigation—Isaac Heeney, James Jordon, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey, who has since transferred to North Melbourne—had been suspended for the remainder of the season following the incident at the Pullman Hotel.
The players had previously acknowledged breaching club standards by inviting women back to their hotel after a match and consuming alcohol, though they maintained they had not engaged in wrongdoing. The AFL confirmed that the police outcome is separate from the club's earlier disciplinary action, which also rendered the five sanctioned players ineligible for All-Australian selection.
The incident occurred following Sydney's victory over Essendon at the MCG on August 17, with the players subsequently barred from competition from Round 24 onwards and excluded from the club's two finals matches. The ABC reported that the police inquiry centred on an allegation that one player touched a woman without her consent, and that police sources made claims about suspected cocaine use, which remain unproven allegations.
Three women, understood to be adult entertainers, alleged inappropriate touching during the incident and have signalled their intention to pursue civil action. A fifth player, Riley Bice, who was also suspended by the club, had already been cleared by police prior to this announcement.
What do the accusers' lawyers say?
The women's legal representatives have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the police decision. Jackson Pannam, representing one of the women through Slater and Gordon law firm, stated that the police outcome
"does not amount to a finding that the incident our client reported did not occur, nor does it diminish the seriousness of what she says happened or its profound impact on her".
John Karantzis from Carbone Lawyers, acting for the other two women, told the ABC that his clients were
"very disappointed and distressed"by the decision. He emphasised that the women intend to
"vigorously pursue"a civil action, noting that
"My clients' civil claim is based on a different burden of proof, it is based on the balance of probabilities". This distinction is significant: criminal prosecution requires proof beyond reasonable doubt, whereas civil claims operate under the lower threshold of balance of probabilities.
How have the players responded?
Isaac Heeney welcomed the police announcement, describing the preceding three months as
"incredibly difficult for my family, [my fiancee] Steffie and those close to me". He added:
"To my family and friends, your love and loyalty has meant more than words can do justice".
What happens next?
The civil matter remains ongoing, with the women's lawyers committed to pursuing claims through the courts. No scheduled hearing date has been publicly announced. Victoria Police indicated it would make no further comment due to the ongoing civil proceedings. The players' club suspensions remain in effect regardless of the police decision, and their exclusion from All-Australian consideration stands as a separate disciplinary measure by the AFL.
