Cowan to be hit with two-match ban, Hayward to avoid suspension after house party

Carlton’s Lachie Cowan will be banned for two matches next season but teammate Will Hayward will escape AFL punishment after the pair were hospitalised after a house party on Sunday.

The AFL is still finalising its investigation but is likely to charge Cowan under the coverall bringing the game into disrepute provision for needing hospitalisation after collapsing at a party in the early hours of Sunday.

Reports had widely circulated on Sunday, suggesting that illicit drugs were allegedly involved. This masthead cannot confirm that drugs were involved in either incident.

Two industry sources with knowledge of the investigation, but not authorised to speak publicly, said Cowan was treated differently for bringing the game into disrepute, while Hayward admitted himself to hospital after suffering a cut to his head that required treatment.

A two-match suspension for Cowan would be in line with that meted out to Jack Ginnivan and Bailey Smith when drug use became public.

Geelong forward Tyson Stengle was carried out unresponsive from a Geelong nightclub in 2024 and received hospital treatment but did not receive an AFL sanction.

On Wednesday night, Carlton football manager Chris Davies said the matter remained the subject of an AFL investigation but that the players were both embarrassed.

“The AFL are going through a process right now and ultimately, we’ll work with the AFL to get to the end of that.

“We’ve been having discussions with the AFL over the last two or three days, clearly, to make sure that we are at the bottom of that,” he said.

“That’s the most important thing [their health] – they’re OK now, a little bit embarrassed, I guess, to put the club in this position.”

He confirmed another player had been present on Saturday night “but not in the same situation”.

The investigation comes amid allegations of illicit drug use at a gathering at Hayward’s South Yarra home on Saturday night.

Cowan, 21, was taken to The Alfred hospital after emergency services attended an address in South Yarra early on Sunday morning.

Ambulance Victoria confirmed advanced life-support paramedics responded to an incident about 5.15am, with a man in his 20s transported to hospital in a stable condition.

Carlton subsequently confirmed Cowan had received medical treatment and undergone observation before being discharged.

Hayward, 27, separately admitted himself to hospital after suffering a cut to his head in a fall. The former Sydney forward received stitches before being discharged.

The Blues maintained that the two players were hospitalised under separate circumstances.

The AFL and AFL Players’ Association have agreed to a revised illicit drugs policy, including expanded hair testing and a greater emphasis on identifying and addressing repeated drug use.

The new framework is not scheduled to come into effect until 2027, meaning the Carlton matter will be assessed under the competition’s existing rules and disciplinary processes.

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