The AFL's findings also suggested that the Bulldogs were right to report the matter to the league.

"The club was under a duty to report the matter to the AFL and acted entirely properly in doing so," AFL legal counsel Andrew Dillon said.

"However, the AFL is satisfied that the evidence does not support any finding that the rules have been contravened."

In a summary of the investigation findings, the AFL said that Michael Talia, now a Sydney player, had confirmed to the Bulldogs that he and brother Daniel had spoken and exchanged text messages in the lead-up to the elimination final between the Dogs and Crows.

"Michael Talia admitted that the upcoming game was discussed in that conversation, including aspects of the likely match-up between Daniel Talia and Jake Stringer," the AFL said in its finding.

The AFL said the Bulldogs' statement to the league on September 22 "was primarily based on statements made by Adelaide Football Club player Kyle Cheney to an AFL player from another club. These statements were subsequently reported to the Western Bulldogs.

"The Western Bulldogs spoke with Cheney twice prior to reporting the matter to the AFL and Cheney appeared to confirm the allegation or at least, did not deny it."

The AFL did not specify it, but the statements were made to a Hawthorn player and ex-teammate of Cheney's.

Cheney subsequently told the investigation that the statements he had made suggesting the Crows had received sensitive game information had been made "in jest as part of friendly banter" with a close friend and player from another club (Hawthorn).

"He confirmed he had no knowledge or suspicion that Michael Talia had disclosed sensitive information," the AFL said.

Cheney said he had not informed the Western Bulldogs of this "in jest" explanation prior to the investigation, in the AFL's words, "because he had been in shock on both occasions he spoke to Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and was too embarrassed to explain what had occurred."

The AFL called Cheney's conduct "concerning", adding, "having inappropriately joked about a serious matter, Cheney should have clarified his comments to the Western Bulldogs as soon as he had the chance to do so. His conduct placed Michael Talia and the Western Bulldogs in a very difficult position."

The AFL spoke to 16 witnesses and analysed records of match planning for the two clubs in seeking to find further, non-Cheney evidence that Michael Talia had passed on game-sensitive information before the final, won narrowly by the Crows.

"The AFL was not satisfied the allegation was corroborated by the evidence."

The AFL added that the Talia brothers had "unadvisedly talked about matters which might give rise to suspicions of 'leaking' in the lead-up to the match."

The text messages between the brothers in the days before the game were "unavailable to the investigation as Michael Talia lost his phone on holiday in Bali and Daniel Talia had deleted the messages.

"The AFL makes no adverse findings in relation to this matter. Michael Talia provided evidence to the investigation supporting the fact that his phone was lost in Bali.

"The evidence does not support a conclusion that the conversation and messages between the two brothers involved intentional or improper leaking of sensitive information that was expected or intended to give anyone an unfair advantage;

"The evidence does not support a conclusion that Daniel Talia, other members of the Adelaide Crows backline group, or any coach associated with the Adelaide Crows had any such information disclosed to them."

But the AFL found, that given the information available to the Bulldogs, it was "entirely reasonable for the Western Bulldogs to determine that there was good evidence of a serious integrity breach and of conduct which might bring the game into disrepute."

Michael Talia, who did not play in the relevant final, was traded to the Swans last month. Adelaide said it "welcomed" the finding that cleared Daniel Talia and the Crows and that Cheney regretted his "banter" that led to the investigation.