🚨 LATEST: SYDNEY SWANS AND POLICE RELEASE NEW STATEMENTS AS HOTEL SCANDAL INVESTIGATION CONTINUES… AND ONE DETAIL IS NOW DRAWING FRESH ATTENTION

The Sydney Swans and Victoria Police have released updated statements on Saturday.

A view of Dean Cox and Callum Mills speaking to reporters on Friday, August 21, 2026. Picture: Phil Hillyard
SYDNEY has ‘categorically confirmed’ that no member of staff is involved in the current police investigation regarding an alleged incident in Melbourne last Monday morning, adding that no player has been interviewed by police at this stage.

On Wednesday, five Swans players – Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon and Chad Warner – were suspended for the rest of the season for breaching club standards, with the club sanctions seperate from the ongoing Victoria Police investigation.

On Saturday morning, both Victoria Police and the Swans released updated statements on the matter.

The Swans repeated its statement from Friday that the only representatives of the club who were in the hotel room at the centre of the investigation were the five players who have now been suspended.

“The Sydney Swans supports the action taken by Victoria Police in releasing today’s statement regarding the investigation,” the Swans said.

“The Sydney Swans categorically confirms that no member of staff is involved in the investigation. This includes being in the hotel room central to the police investigation.

“The Club reiterates that no player has been interviewed by police at this stage.”

In its first official statement about the matter since Monday morning, Victoria Police said its investigations remain ongoing.

Swans coach, captain face the media after five players banned

Watch the full media conference of Sydney coach Dean Cox and captain Callum Mills speaking to reporters after the Swans banned five players over an alleged incident at a hotel in Melbourne

“Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad continue to investigate a report of a sexual assault in East Melbourne on 17 August,” the police statement read.

“The incident occurred at a hotel on Wellington Parade in the early hours of the morning.

“The exact circumstances of the matter are still being established and a number of people have been spoken to.

“As the investigation remains active and ongoing, we will not be commenting further including providing information on the specific circumstances of the matter, movements of detectives and any statements or interviews taken.

“Where there is information that it is appropriate and beneficial to release then we will do so.”

It comes as the Swans finalise preparations for a dead rubber game against North Melbourne on Sunday.

Swans chairman Andrew Pridham on Wednesday said the club-imposed sanctions would “torpedo” the second-placed Swans’ premiership hopes.

In their SCG qualifying final, Sydney will most likely face reigning premiers Brisbane, who all but locked in third place with Friday night’s 63-point win over Collingwood.

Hawthorn could leapfrog the Lions on percentage, but they would need to beat West Coast by a significant margin on Sunday night to jump to third spot.

The team that finishes fourth will play runaway minor premiers Fremantle, while third will face a decimated and embattled Sydney.

Dean Cox and Callum Mills face the media on Friday, August 21, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

“I don’t mind either or, to be honest with you,” Lions coach Chris Fagan said after Brisbane’s win on Friday night.

“It’s just good to get the double chance.

“And I’m sort of thinking that Sydney have lost some players obviously due to the unfortunate thing that happened last week. But in some ways that can galvanise a club too.

“The guys that do get to play just might go that much harder and be that much more difficult to beat.

“So either way I’m just happy we finished top four. We travel well. Either way we’re going to have to travel, so we’ll take whatever comes our way.”

Fagan hadn’t spoken to his players specifically about the Sydney situation.

“There’s been so much publicity around it – it almost goes without saying,” Fagan said.

“I don’t feel like I need to have a conversation with my players because it’s pretty obvious, the repercussions for not thinking through your actions too clearly. And yeah, it’s really unfortunate.

“I do feel sorry for Sydney because they have been such a terrific club in that regard for a long, long time but these sorts of things happen – it’s just a bit of a head-scratcher, isn’t it?

“You just wonder what was going through people’s heads to let that occur.”

James Rowbottom, Harry Cunningham, Angus Sheldrick, Caiden Cleary and Tom Hanily will replace the banned five players for the North clash.

That game takes place after Sydney’s AFLW clash with Essendon as part of a double header.