September 8, 2026 — 3:51pmAt least one of the women at the centre of the investigation into Sydney Swans players over sexual assault allegations has provided further statements to police in recent days about what unfolded at an East Melbourne hotel last month.A source close to the women and another source connected to the investigation, neither of whom were authorised to speak publicly, said one of the women who was engaged by the players as a topless waitress in one of the player’s rooms had now given police fresh details about the morning’s events.The supplementary statements follow the police seizure of a recording of the three women taken in the days after the alleged sexual assaults recounting what had occurred in the Pullman hotel room in the pre-dawn hours of August 17 and later that morning in the hotel lobby, where other club officials including senior coach Dean Cox and head of football Leon Cameron encountered the women.The Pullman East Melbourne hotel.Simon SchluterThe woman’s statements also follow the provision of statements by some of the five Swans players who were in the hotel room where each of the three women have alleged they were sexually assaulted and touched inappropriately without consent.The hotel room incident unfolded after a night of wild partying by the players after the team won in round 23 on August 16 against Essendon at the MCG.AFL chairman Craig Drummond told a sports conference on Tuesday that the league had zero tolerance for poor behaviour from players and administrators.Victoria Police detectives travelled last week to NSW to conduct voluntary interviews with the players, some of whom declined to speak with police.Four of the five players – Issac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey and James Jordon – remain persons of interest in the police investigation. Each of the players has engaged his own lawyer.Three other men in the room, including fifth current Swans player Riley Bice, recently retired Swan Taylor Adams and a mystery man, are now considered to be witnesses to the pre-dawn events.This masthead this week revealed that the five suspended Sydney Swans players, all of whom have denied criminal wrongdoing, will have to foot their own substantial legal fees for their roles in the Pullman hotel episode.Under the rules governing the AFL’s salary cap, neither the club nor people closely associated with the club are allowed to pay for any of the players’ costs defending criminal charges or civil proceedings flowing from the hotel room events. Each of the three women have engaged lawyers to assist in possible civil legal action against the players over their alleged conduct.The five players were suspended by the Sydney Swans for the remainder of the 2026 AFL season for breaches of the club’s behavioural standards. The sanctions do not relate to any criminal allegations.Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham, who has been a director of the club for 24 years and head of the board for 13 years, said the suspension of the players had effectively torpedoed the Swans’ season.In defiance of those expectations, the team won last weekend against the Brisbane Lions to advance to a preliminary final to be played in two weekends’ time. A win in that match would secure the beleaguered club a grand final berth.Police said last week that they did not expect to provide another update on the Pullman investigation for eight weeks. Contacted for comment on the provision of fresh statements by at least one of the women, a spokesperson said, “we are not providing a running commentary on the investigation”.Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.From our partners