Bruhn and his friend Patrick Sinnott were charged with raping an intoxicated woman in her car after a February 2023 evening at the Alley Cats strip club in Geelong.
Prosecutors formally dropped all charges on Tuesday morning following testimony from witnesses that the complainant had confessed to lying in her police statement, whilst one witness also admitted during a committal hearing to lying about being physically assaulted by one of the two defendants.
Bruhn did not feature for the Geelong Cats in the 2025 season as rumours swirled around social media throughout the year of his potential legal troubles, and upon the lifting of the suppression order on Tuesday morning, the AFL revealed Bruhn was "stood down by the AFL from playing pending the hearing and determination of those charges".
The move to stand Bruhn down indefinitely whilst not being able to comment on the manner was condemned by the players' union, who suggested the league had stripped Bruhn of his presumption of innocence.
"The AFLPA has supported Tanner throughout this long and flawed process alongside his manager Paul Connors, his legal team led by Anna Balmer, and the Geelong Football Club, who have all been exemplary in their care for Tanner," the statement reads.
"The Collective Bargaining Agreement requires the AFL and AFLPA to resolve a Code of Conduct including proper processes and a sanctioning framework. This unfortunate set of circumstances is further evidence that such a framework is critical for the game.
"We remain committed to this work in the best interests of the players and Australian football."
The Cats confirmed on Tuesday that Bruhn will soon report for pre-season training and will continue to be provided with individual welfare resources as he continues to clear his name and reputation.