Tanner Bruhn, 23, is eager to continue his career amid a growing youth movement down at Geelong AFL club Geelong Cats. This follows the dropping of criminal charges against him. As of February 2023, Bruhn was still facing several grave charges, such as rape and intentional sexual touching with a weapon. At Geelong Magistrates Court, those charges were returned informally dropped, allowing him to return to the football program and go through pre-season training.
Earlier this season, Bruhn was sidelined due to a finger injury and had been removed from the injury list as the legal proceedings concluded. He went on to play 36 games for Geelong over the 2023 and 2024 seasons after crossing as a free agent from the Giants. Prior to that, he racked up 30 games across the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
The AFL and the AFL Players’ Association (AFLPA) were prohibited from commenting on the circumstances due to a suppression order. With the order lifted, they may be able to tell you what they really think. This new development allows both entities to speak freely about Bruhn’s case.
As Tanner’s wrongful conviction attorney reiterated, Tanner was entitled to the presumption of innocence from the outset and throughout. It was apparent to us that temporarily standing Tanner down would be grossly premature and disproportionate,” said AFLPA representative.
The AFL responded to this inaction with strong leadership by standing Bruhn down from playing at any level of Australian Football. This suspension extends to both AFL and VFL competitions and will continue until the legal action is resolved.
In a statement, the AFL has acknowledged that they were notified in early 2025 of various criminal charges which had been laid against Geelong Football Club player Tanner Bruhn. In response, the AFL has suspended him from playing for now while the charges are heard and resolved.
According to the AFL, Bruhn’s innocence was not known or assumed until the charges were dismissed in court. Mr. Bruhn has been indefinitely banned from participating in the sport of Australian Football at any level, including in the AFL and VFL. This restriction will continue until his charges are formally dropped, which occurred in Court today.
The sustained involvement of Geelong Football Club in providing professional welfare support to Bruhn has allowed her to navigate the legal process. This club campaign focused on securing a clear framework for these cases to be treated properly within the sport.
This unfortunate confluence of circumstances is additional testimony that such a framework is essential to the health of the game. That’s why Geelong’s official responder stressed that they are serious about doing this work. They are committed to acting in the best interests of players and Australian football.
As Tanner Bruhn prepares to rejoin his teammates for pre-season training, he aims to build upon his previous performances with Geelong and contribute positively to the team’s success in the upcoming season.
