The AFL should follow the lead of the NRL and introduce a no-fault stand-down policy for players charged with criminal offences.

Victoria Police’s Sexual Crimes Squad is investigating allegations involving five Sydney Swans players who returned to their Melbourne hotel in the early hours of Monday after a night drinking following their MCG victory.

At this stage, we do not know what happened. Nobody has been charged. This masthead does not suggest the players are under investigation by police, only that they have assisted police inquiries.

The ongoing coverage has again focused attention on the adequacy of the AFL’s response to situations in which players are accused of wrongdoing.

Regardless of the police investigation, key Sydney players are set to face consequences for their late-night drinking during the trip to Melbourne, either from their club or from the AFL, for bringing the game into disrepute. They face suspension for multiple matches, which throws the club’s final series campaign into turmoil.

While there is an AFL rule that provides guidance that responds to conduct that brings the sport into disrepute, there is no league-wide framework governing how the clubs should manage accused players in more serious situations, which involve criminal charges.

In this area, it could learn a lesson from the NRL. In 2019, after a run of sex scandals, the NRL introduced a no-fault stand-down policy for players charged with criminal offences that could attract a jail term of 11 years.

Then ARL Commission chairman Peter Beattie said it was a benchmark set for all players to protect rugby league. “This is not about being popular, this is about sending a clear message the game does not tolerate violence, against women or children. Our job is to rebuild the reputation and protect the game. That reputation has been damaged by recent events. This is about a standard that’s expected,” Beattie said.

The AFL’s current policy could be considered more nuanced or simply random, given it considers matters on a case-by-case basis rather than applying a fixed threshold. A standardised approach would leave no room for inconsistency, and give clarity to the player, their teammates and the club.

As the Age sports reporter Peter Ryan noted, the AFL has not been afraid to put the image of the game above the rights of the individual. For example, the AFL banned Geelong player Tanner Bruhn from playing in 2025 after he was charged with several sexual assault offences. They were subsequently withdrawn after a witness was found to have lied.

The no-fault stand-down policy pioneered by the NRL would not apply to the dilemma currently facing the Swans. It is triggered only when charges are laid. But there is no doubt the policy is a good idea that provides clarity and one that the AFL should implement, not least because it confirms the seriousness of such conduct, and provides a clear framework on how to handle these situations when they arise.