Police are preparing to interview five Sydney Swans players as their investigation into an alleged sexual assault at a Melbourne hotel enters a new phase.
Detectives from Victoria Police’s Sexual Crimes Squad were expected to travel to Sydney this week to speak with Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon.
The players have denied any criminal wrongdoing and no charges have been laid.
Heeney has reportedly been a focus of the investigation to date, while another player may be questioned under caution about his alleged activities inside the hotel room.
Prominent Melbourne criminal lawyer Tony Hargreaves has been called in to represent the players.
The investigation centres on a two-hour booking said to have involved three adult entertainers at the Pullman Melbourne on the Park in East Melbourne during the early hours of Monday, August 17.
Police detectives are preparing to interview five Sydney Swans players over an alleged sexual assault at a Melbourne hotel
The five Sydney players deny any criminal wrongdoing, and no charges have been laid in relation to allegations
The booking was reportedly made following Sydney’s victory over Essendon at the MCG.
All three women who attended the hotel room have alleged that sexual assaults occurred during the booking. They have since engaged civil lawyers.
One of the women told News Corp that nine men were inside the room.
Former AFL star Taylor Adams was also reportedly with the group during the night, although it remains unclear whether he was present when the women arrived.
Witnesses have alleged that one of the women was ejected from the room and locked outside.
She later reportedly confronted Sydney coach Dean Cox in the hotel foyer as the team prepared to have breakfast and leave for the airport between 6am and 7am.
Police have already taken voluntary witness statements from four senior Swans officials.
They include Cox, head of football Leon Cameron, communications boss Tom Chadwick and head of wellbeing and development Brett Kirk.
Coach Dean Cox voluntarily provided witness statement to police but was not inside the room during the alleged incidents
The undermanned Swans will take on the Brisbane Lions in this Saturday’s SCG qualifying final
None of those officials was inside the room when the alleged incidents occurred.
Investigators could seek advice from the Office of Public Prosecutions about the prospects of securing a conviction once the available evidence has been compiled.
The Swans declined to comment on the latest development.
The club suspended Heeney, Warner, Blakey, Bice and Jordon for the rest of the season two days after the incident.
Sydney said the sanctions related to the players staying out late, drinking and bringing women back to the team hotel in breach of club rules.
The suspensions were separate from the sexual assault allegations and did not represent findings of criminal wrongdoing.
The investigation now hangs over Sydney as the club prepares to host Brisbane in a qualifying final at the SCG.
The second-placed Swans are two home victories away from reaching their third grand final in five years, but will contest the finals series without the suspended players.
Former Essendon coach James Hird believes their absence leaves Sydney vulnerable against a Brisbane side that has lost only once in three months.
‘This is going to be tough. The Brisbane Lions are rampaging,’ Hird told Nine’s Footy Furnace.
‘If the Lions are at their best and they hit top form with all of their talent, it’s going to be very hard for Sydney with the quality of players they’ve got out.
‘Brisbane for me. I think they’re the favourites.’
Sydney could regain key forward Joel Amartey following an Achilles injury, while Hayden McLean is expected to clear concussion protocols.
Midfielder Justin McInerney is also attempting to overcome a hamstring injury before the teams are announced on Thursday night.
