The woman standing by Michael Jennings as he heads into controversial 300th NRL game

The grandmother of Michael Jennings’ children won’t be at his controversial 300th NRL game on Thursday night, but not because he doesn’t have her full support.

Michael Jennings’ children’s grandmother won’t be at his controversial 300th game in Newcastle tonight, but not because he doesn’t have her full support.

Jennifer Harris and her husband David, whose daughter Kristin has two children with Jennings will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in the city.

If it was any other night, Mrs Harris would have been there to cheer on and support the man she says is the “most loving, gentle father” to her grandchildren, age five and three.

She has lived through the entire ordeal of Jennings being accused of sexual abuse of his ex-wife Kirra Wilden, and being banned from playing rugby league after testing positive to drugs, yet remains steadfast in her support of him.

“Michael and my daughter’s romantic relationship didn’t survive the stress of this...but my husband David and I support him 100 per cent,” Mrs Harris said.

Michael Jennings with his children, Carter and Ivy. Supplied by family.

Amid the furore over the NRL welcoming back Jennings after a three year ban for testing positive to prohibited drugs, and with a $500,000 debt unpaid to Ms Wilden, who successfully sued him in a civil court for sexual abuse, Mrs Harris said she “can’t sit in silence for another minute without telling the full story”.

“I cannot keep watching this pile on. I’ve stayed silent all this time, but I’ve had enough,” Mrs Harris told The Daily Telegraph.

“It’s so unfair. I have lived through this whole saga … I’ve known Michael since my daughter met him around Mother’s Day in 2016. There is so much more to this story and he is being used as cannon fodder by those wanting to keep themselves relevant.”

Jennifer Harris — whose daughter has two children with Michael Jennings. Mrs Harris said she stands by Jennings 100% amid rape and domestic violence allegations. Picture: Facebook

Ms Wilden spoke out this week and slammed the decision to let Jennings renew his football career, saying the governing body “doesn’t take the safety of women seriously.”

“I think it’s disgraceful that they have allowed this to happen,” Wilden said.

“People wonder why people don’t speak up about these types of incidents, it’s because I feel nothing gets done about it in time,” she said.

In 2021, Ms Wilden sued Jennings in a civil case in the NSW District Court for damages citing post traumatic stress disorder after he allegedly sexually and verbally abused her during their marriage. Jennings denies the allegations and was never criminally charged.

Judge David Wilson SC ordered Jennings pay Ms Wilden $500,000 in damages. Ms Wilden’s lawyer said this week the money has not been paid.

“In the interests of protecting my precious grandchildren, I personally paid thousands of dollars to a lawyer on Michael’s behalf to come to a financial agreement with Ms Wilden’s lawyer, and she outright rejected them. So don’t tell me that he hasn’t made attempts to make a payment towards the damages,” Mrs Harris said.

Michael Jennings in action for the Roosters. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

She said there were ongoing legal matters which can’t be reported that were prohibiting finalisation of payment, but allegations he sold off property and put money into the name of a “third party” were nonsense.

“He is a very family-oriented Tongan man, he bought a home for his parents many, many years ago,” she said.

In a judgement in 2021 District Court Judge David Wilson told the court that — apart from the $600,000 paid to Ms Harris for the separation agreement — Jennings appeared to be moving assets in an attempt to avoid paying Ms Wilden.

“I find that the payment of money to Ms Harris … was done in order to dissipate or minimise (Jennings’s) assets in a transparent attempt to avoid satisfying the judgment made in favour of (Ms Wilden),” Judge Wilson told the court.

Mrs Harris recalled when her daughter first started dating him in 2017.

“I remember when my daughter started dating him, I said “Oh Kristin, of all the men in the world, did you have to fall in love with a footballer,” she said.

“But when I met Michael, he is a gentleman … he’s a very reserved, very gentle person.”

Mrs Harris, a nurse and whose husband is a doctor, said she has agonised over the allegations against Jennings.

“I’m not a stupid person and I didn’t come down in the last shower, but I have not seen a single sign of violence or temper from him, I just haven’t.”

“He lived with us for a period of time, so you get to see a person in all different situations … and I’ve asked my daughter at length if she has seen any signs of violence or aggression, and she says “Mum, truly nothing”,” Mrs Harris said.

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