De Belin to learn NRL fate next week

The judgment in Jack De Belin's Federal Court case against the ARL Commission and NRL will be handed down next week.

De Belin

Jack de Belin will learn next week if he is able to return to the NRL as his court case continues. (AAP)

St George Illawarra star Jack de Belin will next week learn if he will be allowed to return to the NRL.

The Federal Court has confirmed that Justice Melissa Perry will next week had down her judgment in de Belin's case against the ARL Commission and NRL.

It is not known on what day she will announce her ruling.

The NSW State of Origin lock has sued the game after he was stood down under the game's "no fault" rules which were rushed through earlier in the year before it was officially rubber-stamped in March.

The rules allow the NRL to stand down any player accused of a serious crime which carries a jail sentence of 11 years or more.

De Belin has been charged with the aggravated sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in a Wollongong unit.

He has pleaded not guilty.

De Belin and his lawyers have argued that the rules represent a restraint of trade and unlike other professions and codes, he was not able to appear before a disciplinary hearing.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and ARLC chairman Peter Beattie made the case for the rules after the game's "summer from hell", during which several players were charged with serious offences.

They argued that broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel Nine had implored them to stand down de Belin and players in similar situations because it would reduce the code's bargaining position when they came to negotiate their next TV deal.

Melbourne Storm chairman Bart Campbell told the four-day hearing last month that his club had trouble securing a major sponsor because of the damage caused to the game during the off-season.


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world