The NRL will allow Brandon Smith to play in the final round for South Sydney, as the embattled Rabbitohs hooker plans to fight charges laid by Queensland police.
The reverberations of Smith’s drug-supply charge were still being felt around the NRL on Tuesday, with his former club Sydney Roosters caught up in the drama.
Smith has been summoned to face Southport Magistrates Court next month, on a charge of supplying dangerous drugs.
He has also been accused by Queensland Police of disclosing inside knowledge for betting, and faces another charge over that.
South Sydney have stood by the 29-year-old, with coach Wayne Bennett adamant he will pick him to face the Roosters next Friday night after the Rabbitohs’ bye this weekend.
The NRL also confirmed on Tuesday that they would have no issue with Smith running out, confirming he would not face an immediate ban.
“The NRL is not satisfied that the player has been charged with an offence that triggers the automatic application of the no-fault stand-down condition,” an NRL spokesperson said.
“The NRL also does not intend to impose a Stand Down Condition under its discretionary powers.
“As this matter is currently before the Queensland Courts, the NRL will offer no further comment.”
It’s believed the NRL only learnt of the charges against Smith as news broke of the matter on Monday, but it has left the door open for potential punishments later, pending the court’s findings.
On Tuesday morning, the Rabbitohs updated their earlier statement to say Smith will be fighting the charges in court.
“In respect to the matter at hand, through his solicitor Paul McGirr, the Club understands that Brandon was not physically in the jurisdiction of Queensland when this matter was alleged to have occurred, and therefore, we are instructed that the matter will be contested,” a club statement said.
“As this matter is before the court, the club cannot, and will not, be making any further comment at this stage, in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation and process.”
Smith was interviewed at Gold Coast airport ahead of the club’s August 10 win over the Titans, where police released him without charge.
But the Courier-Mail reported that Smith was later charged as part of the ongoing investigation, a day before playing in last Thursday’s game against the St George Illawarra Dragons, with Queensland Police issuing a short statement.
(Image courtesy: Fox League)
“A 29-year-old man has been issued with a Summons by Queensland Police on August 20 for supplying dangerous drugs and using or disclosing inside knowledge for betting,” a spokesman said.
“The man is expected to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on 18 September.
“Investigations by detectives from the Organised Crime Gangs Group Maxima, South Eastern Region are continuing.”
The charges come after an incident where he was randomly pulled aside and spoken to at Coolongatta airport as his side arrived to play the Titans, with Queensland police at the time playing down the encounter.
“We chatted to him about a number of things and then he was able to go on and play football,” Acting Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy said earlier this month.
“Brandon was very cooperative with us, and he was able to go on and play a good game of football from what I saw.”
It’s understood that police were investigating Smith as part of a wider probe.
The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Smith is alleged to have contacted a drug dealer with a view to supplying a former Roosters teammate with the unidentified substance in June.
Several Roosters players travelled to the Sunshine Coast for a golf trip on the second weekend of June.
The betting offence reportedly involves offering team selection information to the drug dealer before his first match for the Rabbitohs against Manly in Round 18.
Roosters lock Victor Radley has been included on the summons issued against Smith, while a Chad Townsend Instagram post shows he, James Tedesco, Hugo Savala, Sandon Smith, Egan Butcher and Zach Dockar-Clay also attended the golf trip.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Radley or any of the players who travelled north over the Roosters’ round-14 bye weekend.
The club released a statement to say it was working with the NRL Integrity Unit to find out more information.
“With allegations due to be heard in Court next month, the Club will be making no further comment until the conclusion of that aspect of the legal process.
“The Sydney Roosters have procedures in place to deal with the sorts of allegations made in today’s written media and on TV. We will address the matter once the facts have been established via the judicial system.
“When in possession of the facts, the Sydney Roosters will take any necessary action, including any action available to us to defend our proud name. It is what our fans, staff, players and sponsors demand of us.”
The Tricolours have previously trumpeted one of the toughest approaches to drugs in sport, with chairman Nick Politis claiming a zero-tolerance approach earlier this year.
“My view is if somebody’s caught doing cocaine or leaning over snorting something, we’re going to get rid of them,” Politis told News Corp in January.
“Our stance is zero tolerance. We are very strong on it. Trent (Robinson) is very strong on it.”
Smith played 148 NRL games for Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters before joining South Sydney midway through this year.
He has played in four games for the Rabbitohs in 2025, and has won three of his four appearances coming off the bench in a replacement hooker role.
The Kiwi international missed the start of the season with a knee injury before suffering another knee injury in his first game for his new club.
– with AAP
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