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The NRL has stood Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown down after he was charged with five counts of sexual touching following an alleged incident at the Golden Sheaf Hotel in Sydney on Saturday night.
Brown faced court for the first time on Wednesday and is due back there later this month and if convicted, could face up to five years in prison.
Per its ‘no-fault stand-down policy’, the NRL automatically suspends players charged with an offence that carries a maximum prison term of 11 years or more.
But NRL CEO Andrew Abdo is able to intervene for lesser sentences and has typically exercised this discretionary power when players are charged with offences against women.
“The NRL has today advised the Parramatta Eels that Dylan Brown is subject to a No-Fault Stand Down Condition under the NRL Rules,” an NRL statement read.
“New South Wales Police charged Dylan Brown with several counts of sexually touch without consent following an incident at Double Bay on Saturday 3 June 2023.
“The NRL decision should in no way be interpreted as a view on the innocence or guilt of the player.”
(Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
The Eels issued a statement to acknowledge Brown “will not be eligible for selection until he receives clearance from the NRL. Out of respect for the legal process now under way, the club will not be making any further comment at this time”.
Brown has been barred from entering licensed premises in the Sydney suburb where he allegedly sexually touched a woman without her consent.
Under new conditions of his bail the 22-year-old must also report to Rose Bay police station at least once a week on Mondays.
The Eels star was arrested at the Golden Sheaf in Double Bay after police were called to the venue about 11.40pm on Saturday.
Brown appeared at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday where his lawyer requested bail conditions be adjusted from a blanket ban prohibiting him from entering Double Bay, to a ban on entering licensed premises within the suburb.
Under ongoing bail conditions Brown must also not be intoxicated in a public place or make contact with the complainant unless through a lawyer.
His lawyer, David Newham, said Brown had been watched CCTV footage of the alleged incident.
“What I will say is this, it does not support the notion that on five separate occasions Mr Brown has approached this young woman and with both hands has touched both of her breasts,” he said.
Brown’s case is due to be heard next on June 28 in the same court.
Parramatta’s playing group insists the charges levelled at Brown will not torpedo an already precariously-placed NRL season.
The Eels headed into last weekend’s bye on the back of two consecutive wins but nevertheless remain in 12th position – a far-cry from the top-four finish that helped them secure a grand final berth last year.
Given Brown’s form, Shaun Lane conceded his absence could take a toll on the Eels, who only recently released their back-up playmaker Jake Arthur to join Manly.
But the second-rower denied the distraction could be the hammer blow to Parramatta’s slow-starting season.
“It’s not going to do anything to affect our attitude approaching games. We’re just focusing on footy.We’re not going to concentrate on things that are going wrong,” Lane said before the club was informed that Brown had been stood down.
Captain Clint Gutherson said the Eels were eager to move on and zero in on Monday’s opponent, traditional rivals Canterbury.
“Our main focus is footy, we’ve got a big game coming up, we’ve got a big three or four-week period that we’ve really got to nail and that’s what we’re focused on as a team,” he said.
Eels recruit Daejarn Asi, who has spent the last two weeks playing five-eighth in NSW Cup and trained there for part of Wednesday’s session, is set to come into the side to face Canterbury.
“He’s been learning the system for a while, we obviously got him from the Warriors this year. He’s been looking good in reserve grade,” Lane said. “We’ve got full confidence with him if he slots into the team moving forward.”
The Eels would suffer more disruption in the halves if halfback Mitch Moses is called up to replace the injured Nathan Cleary in the second State of Origin match.
In that scenario, Gutherson could be forced into the halves for the first time since 2018.
© AAP
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