{"id":330639,"date":"2025-12-06T02:33:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T02:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/330639\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T02:33:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T02:33:10","slug":"rugby-league-and-wallabies-great-wendell-sailor-arrested-over-alleged-obstructing-traffic-incident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/330639\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby league and Wallabies great Wendell Sailor arrested over alleged obstructing traffic incident"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rugby league<\/a> and Wallabies<\/a> great Wendell Sailor has spent a night in custody after allegedly being found blocking traffic in the middle of a busy road in a bizarre incident.<\/p>\n

The 51-year-old former Broncos superstar was arrested after police received reports of a man yelling and standing in the middle of the road in Wollongong about 11pm on Friday.<\/p>\n

He was allegedly stopping traffic near a busy intersection not far from the city centre while apparently under the influence of drugs or alcohol.<\/p>\n

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Sailor also allegedly fought officers\u2019 attempts to move him before he was charged at Wollongong police station.<\/p>\n

He was accused of breaching bail conditions, obstructing traffic and resisting arrest, and held in custody ahead of his appearance in court on Saturday.<\/p>\n

No officers were injured in the incident, police said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout 11pm on Friday 5 December 2025, police were called to Throsby Drive, Wollongong, following reports of a man obstructing traffic,\u201d police said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cOfficers attached to Wollongong Police District attended and located a 51-year-old man on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cChecks revealed the man was allegedly breaching bail conditions. He was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station where he was charged with breach of bail, obstructing traffic and resist arrest.\u201d<\/p>\n

The former premiership player appeared in handcuffs wearing a Chicago Bulls T-shirt as the weekend bail court was told he was in the process of a \u201cdifficult\u201d separation from his wife of almost 30 years.<\/p>\n

He accepted he had breached existing bail conditions that prevented him from being intoxicated in public, the court was told.<\/p>\n

Acting magistrate Paul Fernon warned Sailor against obstructing police who were just doing their jobs while arresting him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a job that\u2019s made harder when people don\u2019t let them do their work,\u201d he told the Queensland-born ex-winger.<\/p>\n

Sailor was on bail for alcohol-related charges stemming from an incident in Sydney\u2019s city centre more than a year earlier when the latest arrest took place.<\/p>\n

He previously pleaded not guilty to charges of common assault, behaving in an offensive manner, refusing to leave a licensed premises and intimidation after allegedly attacking two men outside a bar in November 2024.<\/p>\n

Fernon said he understood Sailor was going through a difficult family situation, but that was no excuse for breaching his undertakings.<\/p>\n

He released Sailor on conditions that included seeing a doctor within seven days and accepting any recommended treatments, as well as an undertaking that he wouldn\u2019t be intoxicated in public.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you breach your bail conditions, you\u2019ll end up back in custody. That\u2019s just what happens,\u201d the magistrate said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe responsibility is on you … just you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sailor, who sat forward in his cell as he was told he would be allowed to leave, replied: \u201cYes sir. Thanks very much, appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He is due to face Wollongong Local Court on December 16 on the latest charges, while a hearing has been scheduled for February over the assault allegations.<\/p>\n

Sailor was a prolific try-scorer during his 17-year rugby career, including crossing the line 13 times in 37 games for the Wallabies and earning a start in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.<\/p>\n

He finished his 222-game NRL career in 2009 after nine seasons with the Brisbane Broncos and two seasons with the St George Illawarra Dragons.<\/p>\n

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