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The brother of Wests Tigers junior Masei Tavui has also been charged with murder following the gangland slaying of Danny ‘the Serb’ Radulovic in late July.
Eti Tovio Presley Tavui was arrested in Liverpool on Wednesday and faced the judge remotely on Thursday to face a murder charge. He did not apply for bail and will appear in court alongside his brother on December 12.
The news comes on the back of a horror start to the week for the NRL.
After Masei Tavui’s arrest on Tuesday, Dragons five eighth Junior Amone, who was stood down for a long period at the start of the 2023 season, was found guilty on Wednesday of causing grievous bodily harm and now faces a potential custodial sentence following an altercation in which the player and his father stood accused of attacking a tradie on a rooftop with a hammer.
Amone had been left out of Tonga’s squad that travelled to the UK in light of his court appearance on Wednesday morning, and now faces an uncertain future at the Dragons. He is to be sentenced in December and the NRL Integrity Unit will rule on any playing return.
“We respect the decision of any court, whether we agree with it or not,” said Elias Tabchouri, who was representing Amone.
“We will get through that process and consider any possible appeal in the future.
19-year-old Tavui, who featured for the Tigers’ SG Ball team in 2023, was arrested at an address in Austral and taken to Liverpool Local Court, where he was denied bail.
Radulovic was shot and stabbed in Balmain on July 29, having been released from prison where he had been incarcerated on drug supply charges.
Officers wearing tactical gear raided a property in Austral, with the teen taken to Liverpool Police Station and charged with murder.
A critically injured Mr Radulovic was found on Donnelly Street in the Inner West suburb, following reports of an assault. Police were told he was injured during a fight with two men who fled in a white Jeep.
Mr Radulovic was treated at the scene before being taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where he died a short time later.
The Jeep was found burnt out in Five Dock with a firearm inside. A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Radulovic had suffered a gunshot wound. One other person has been charged over the incident and remains before the courts.
“Wests Tigers has been made aware of the serious charges laid against one of the club’s junior representative players,” the Tigers said in a statement.
“The player in question was previously a member of our Western Suburbs SG Ball squad in the 2023 season.
“Both the NRL and NSWRL Integrity Units have been made aware of this matter.
“As this matter is before the court, the club will be making no further comment.”
Tavui is yet to debut for the Tigers’ NRL side but has played as a forward for affiliate club Western Suburbs Magpies in the SG Ball under-19s competition this season.
The Tigers will ensure the club’s wellbeing team is on hand to support their players, who are on an off-season break.
Tavui’s younger brother played for the club in the 2023 season of the Andrew Johns Cup, NSW Rugby League’s regional representative under-16s competition.
The NRL did not comment on the murder charge on the grounds that Tavui was not a first-grade player and did not fall under the organisation’s jurisdiction.
With AAP