Tanner Bruhn is an AFL footballer for Geelong who spent most of 2024–2025 out of the game because of serious off‑field legal issues, but his charges have since been dropped and he is set to return in 2026.

Quick background

  • Tanner Bruhn is a Geelong Cats midfielder who previously played for GWS before moving to Geelong.
  • He is considered a talented young player expected to add depth and impact to Geelong’s midfield when available.

What actually happened

  • In early 2023, Bruhn became involved in a legal case over alleged sexual assault (including rape and intentional sexual touching) relating to an incident in Geelong.
  • As a result, the AFL stood him down and he did not play throughout the entire 2025 season while the case went through the courts.

Outcome of the case

  • In late 2025, the court case ended when the complainant and a witness admitted they had lied, and the charges against Bruhn were formally dropped.
  • Bruhn’s lawyer said he should be regarded “now and forever” as 100 per cent innocent, and commentary around the case has strongly criticised online abuse and “keyboard warriors” who had attacked him during the process.

Where things stand now (2026)

  • With the case over, Bruhn has returned to Geelong’s preseason and is being spoken about as “like a new recruit” for the Cats heading into the 2026 AFL season.
  • Injury and list reports now simply describe him as returning from “personal matters,” with expectations that he will again be a regular midfield contributor in 2026 if fit.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.