PM lashes AFL over response to Swans scandal

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has branded the AFL's initial response to the Sydney Swans scandal "completely unacceptable" as a police investigation into a sexual assault allegation continues.

The Swans have suspended Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon for the remainder of the season for "breaching club standards" at East Melbourne's Pullman Hotel on Monday morning.

It was a decision club chairman Andrew Pridham said would "torpedo" the second-placed Swans' premiership hopes, with just one home-and-away round left to play before the finals.

Independent of the AFL-endorsed club bans, the five suspended players are linked to the police investigation into sexual assault.

Victoria Police Sex Crimes Squad detectives have flown to Sydney to continue the investigation.

The Prime Minister weighed in on ABC's 7.30 on Thursday night, lashing the AFL and the Swans over their handling of the scandal.

"The idea that this is occurring is completely untenable, and the initial response as well was, I think, completely unacceptable.

"The NRL have a no-fault stand down clause for issues like this, but the first thoughts should have been always about women and their safety.

"I don't think that occurred at this time. The AFL certainly needs to do better."

A no-fault stand down policy similar to the NRL's would not have been implemented in the Swans case because no police charges have been laid.

Swans coach Dean Cox briefly addressed media on Tuesday, saying he was "extremely disappointed with what's happened", but has not spoken publicly since the players' suspensions were handed out.

That will change on Friday morning, when Cox and club captain Callum Mills take questions at a press conference.

Cox will also be quizzed on his own behaviour, having come under fire for not returning to the team hotel until after midnight on Monday morning.

Both Pridham and Swans chief executive Matthew Pavlich have emphatically backed the second-year senior coach, saying it "wasn't inappropriate" that some coaches and staff members went out after a pre-planned dinner on Sunday night.