Geelong midfielder Tanner Bruhn is free to play AFL in 2026 after sexual assault charges against himself and a friend were dropped.
News of the 23-year-old's previous legal issues can now be revealed publicly after a media suppression order was lifted by the court following the withdrawal of charges.
The charges against Bruhn and his friend Patrick Sinnott were struck out after a key witnesses admitted lying in court.
Criminal barrister Dermot Dann, KC - who was appearing in court for Bruhn - explained why the case had been dropped in an interview with the Herald Sun.
MORE: AFL Wildcard Round haters: Is it actually that bad?
“It was a case where the evidence in the early stages of the committal revealed that when it came to these allegations of rape and sexual assault, the complainant had admitted that she had lied,” Mr Dann said.
“It was a case where another prosecution witness admitted in his evidence that he told lies to police and told lies in the court.
“It was a case where that same prosecution witness admitted in his evidence, it was the complainant who had told him to lie.”
Bruhn didn't play an AFL match in 2025 while the legal proceedings were ongoing - with the Cats listing him as 'injured' for most of the season.
What charges was Tanner Bruhn facing?
Bruhn was charged with five offences including:
- Oral rape
- Digital rape
- Sexual touching without consent
His co-accused Sinnott faced four charges including digital rape and sexual touching without consent.
What was known about the alleged incident involving Bruhn?
With the nature of the case and suppression order, there aren't many details about the alleged offences.
Bruhn and another man were questioned in late September, 2024 about knowledge of a sexual assault that occurred in Belmont, Geelong on February 5, 2023.
Neither Bruhn or the man were arrested after the interview and were free to leave.
In February, it was reported that two men - including an AFL footballer - had been charged with sexual assault offences.
A court suppression order was lifted on Sinnott's alleged offences with the Geelong media marketer having his name and picture exposed by the media.
However, the gag order stopping Bruhn's name from being revealed remained in place.
Tanner Bruhn and Patrick Sinnott friendship
Bruhn and Sinnott appear to be friends judging by the activity on the Geelong player's Instagram.
The pair appear in multiple photos together on social media, including an image with Bruhn holding up a GWS jersey - his club before Geelong.
Instagram: @tannerbruhn
Instagram: @tannerbruhn
Tanner Bruhn's AFL career
Bruhn did not play an AFL game for Geelong in 2025, with the club listing him as having a finger injury, with a to-be-confirmed timeline on his return.
He has played 66 AFL games for the Cats and initial club GWS Giants, who selected the Geelong local with pick 12 in the 2020 National Draft.
Bruhn figured in 13 games for the Giants in his debut 2021 season but struggled to have a profound impact as the club lost in the semi-finals.
In his second season at GWS, Bruhn had a breakout game in Round 13 against North Melbourne, kicking two goals and picking up 24 possessions.
At the end of 2022, Bruhn sought a return to Geelong where he was traded from the Giants for pick 18.
He played 19 games for the Cats in 2023, but did not finish in the club's top 10 in the best-and-fairest.
In 2024, Bruhn added another 17 games to his career tally, averaging 17 possessions and five clearances a match.