Brandon Smith\u2019s South Sydney teammates are adamant he should be allowed to play against his former side on Friday night despite being charged with drug supply and an inside knowledge betting offence and facing court later this month.<\/p>\n
The serious allegations were revealed last week but both the NRL and the Rabbitohs have no issue with Smith playing against the Roosters given his charges don\u2019t automatically trigger the game\u2019s no-fault stand-down policy.<\/p>\n
Smith trained on Tuesday and is set to feature against the team he left midway through the season, including ex-teammate Victor Radley, who was dragged into the story for allegedly contacting Smith to procure drugs while away on a golf trip earlier this year.<\/p>\n
There are no suggestions Radley did anything wrong.<\/p>\n
Rabbitohs forward Keaon Koloamatangi said Smith was in good spirits after a turbulent week and insisted he still trusted the 29-year-old who allegedly leaked information about his first game for the club. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been normal,\u201d Koloamatangi said. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t brought any of his outside stuff that\u2019s happening at the moment into the club, and that shows the type of person he is to make sure it\u2019s not all about him. He\u2019s just focused on getting the win this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne hundred per cent he should play. It\u2019s innocent until proven guilty, so why not?<\/p>\n
\u201cI just had lunch with him and he\u2019s still joking around, so he\u2019s exactly how he is. We just can\u2019t wait to play, and I\u2019m sure he can\u2019t either against his old team.\u201d<\/p>\n
South Sydney veteran Jack Wighton was just as eager to move on. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t even know what knowledge it is or what\u2019s going on. I\u2019ve been off social media for the last six weeks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s none of my business. Whatever\u2019s happening is for other people to deal with. I\u2019m here to play with him. He\u2019s my mate and my teammate, so we\u2019ll get on with the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Rabbitohs are out of finals contention but could bundle the Roosters out of the top eight if they beat their fierce rivals and the Dolphins knock off the Raiders by a decent margin to leapfrog them into eighth spot. <\/p>\n
Their hopes of spoiling the party could receive a huge boost if inspirational skipper Cameron Murray is cleared to play his first game of the year after he suffered an achilles rupture in the pre-season. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very hopeful,\u201d Wighton replied when asked if the lock forward would play.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know which way it\u2019s going to lean just yet, that\u2019s up to Wayne (coach Wayne Bennett) and Cam.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s training well, he\u2019s moving well. It\u2019d be awesome to have a run with him in the last game.\u201d<\/p>\n