Tanner Bruhn, a prominent player for Geelong in the AFL, has asserted his innocence and is urging the authorities to investigate those responsible for false rape allegations against him.
Today, charges were dropped against Bruhn and his co-defendant, Patrick Sinnott, after they contested accusations of raping a woman in February 2023.
During the legal proceedings, Bruhn’s identity was kept confidential, but his legal representative, Dermot Dann KC, requested the removal of this order.
Dann stated that the complainant had confessed to fabricating the story, describing the situation as a “terrible blemish on the criminal justice system.”
“(Bruhn) should be recognized now and in the future as someone who was completely innocent,” Dann declared in the Geelong Magistrates Court today.
The prosecution had claimed that Bruhn and Sinnott assaulted the woman, whose identity is protected by law, in the early hours of February 5, 2023, following their visit to a strip club in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne.
They alleged the two men left the club with the complainant in her car and the assault happened in a Dan Murphy’s car park in the nearby suburb of Belmont.
CCTV footage showed the woman leaving the strip club with the men at 4.17am and then her car arriving at the car park at 4.21am.
The alleged rape was not captured on the vision, but the woman’s vehicle was seen leaving the area about 5am.
During a committal hearing in September, a male prosecution witness told the court the woman later admitted to lying in her police statement.
She told the man she had an agreement with Bruhn and Sinnott and it was consensual, but something happened she didn’t agree with, the court heard.
The man said the complainant told him to lie in his statement to police and in his evidence before the court.
The woman was scheduled to give evidence today before the charges were dropped.
Bruhn’s lawyer Anna Balmer said her client wanted those behind the allegations to be investigated.
“Tanner wants to see those responsible for making these false allegations held to account,” she told reporters outside court.
“We should all hope that Victoria Police properly investigates what appears to be an attempt to pervert the course of justice by at least one, if not two, prosecution witnesses.”
The AFL confirmed Bruhn had been stood down from playing in the AFL or VFL while the allegations were before the courts.
Bruhn said he was keen to get back to playing football.
“Tanner wants to put this nightmare behind him,” Balmer said.
“He’s hopeful for the future and looking forward to getting back to doing what he loves.”
The Geelong Football Club confirmed Bruhn would return to its program for the start of pre-season training.
“While legal proceedings have been ongoing, the club has provided professional welfare to Tanner during this time and will continue to do so,” a club statement read.
Lawyers for Sinnott also spoke outside court, noting he had suffered the brunt of public scrutiny while his co-accused’s identity was suppressed.
“The impact has been deep and far-reaching,” lawyer Holly Boylan said.
“Patrick now asks to be allowed to move forward in his life.”
The AFL Players Association welcomed the charges being dropped after a “long and flawed process”.
While Geelong had been exemplary in its care for Tanner during the court process, the association described an AFL decision to stand him down after charges were laid as “premature and disproportionate”.
Early in the 2025 season, Tanner was listed as unavailable with a finger injury before being removed from the injury list altogether.
Unlike the NRL or Football Australia, the AFL does not have an official no-fault stand-down policy.
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Help is available from the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
