Braydon Trindall, the five-eighth player for the Cronulla Sharks, has entered a guilty plea to the counts of driving under the influence and skipping a roadside drug test.
He was fined and banned from driving for three months following the court hearing, the club announced in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
The NRL has also issued a breach notice to the five-eighth, but it’s unclear what the punishment would be because of the new regulations, which give the player five days to reply before making any public announcements.
Trindall stated that he was aware of how serious his error had been.
“I acknowledge that I made a grave error by getting behind the wheel that Monday morning, possibly endangering other motorists and pedestrians,” Trindall said in the statement.
“I accept the punishment imposed by the court and express my sincere regret to the Club, my teammates, Sharks members and supporters, and the NRL for the negative headlines I have caused.” This experience has taught me some extremely important things.
“Going forward, I’m excited to move past this and give back to the Sharks for their support and belief in me.”
Trindall is sorry, according to club CEO Dino Mezzatesta, and the club will think about how to respond to the breach notification.
“Braydon has expressed regret and entered a guilty plea to the charges; nonetheless, we have been providing him with the necessary support to enable him to manage and get past any obstacles he may have been dealing with,” stated Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta.
“It was his first offence of this kind; he has fulfilled all other requirements, including completing a traffic offenders’ course.” We hope that this event and experience have taught him a valuable lesson.
The Sharks Disciplinary Committee will meet in the upcoming weeks to discuss the situation, and the Club will now review and react to the NRL breach notice.”
During the five business days that he has to reply to the notification, he is free to play. Although the club prioritised his well-being, he has not yet played despite being free to do so since the event.
Prior to this Thursday’s game, the club has announced that he is available for selection game with the Parramatta Eels.
