Junior Amone: Deregistered NRL player to fight ruling on ‘appalling’ hammer attack

Axed NRL young gun Junior Amone will appeal his conviction after being found guilty of arming himself with a hammer and chasing a tradesman off a roof.

Junior Amone leaving Wollongong Local Court with his lawyer Elias Tabchouri last year. Picture: Dylan Arvela

Axed NRL young gun Junior Amone will appeal his conviction after being found guilty of arming himself with a hammer and chasing a tradesman off a roof.

The former St George Illawarra five-eighth had his $500,000 contract shredded by the NRL after he was sentenced to a two-year intensive correction order in Wollongong Local Court last month.

Junior’s lawyer, Elias Tabchouri, appeared in Wollongong District Court on Friday where he confirmed the all-grounds appeal with the matter set down for April 5.

Amone’s father, Senior, was sentenced for two-and-a-half years in jail with a non-parole period of 12 months over the same incident.

However, he secured bail after immediately appealing the decision with it to be heard alongside his son.

During her sentencing, Magistrate Gabriel Fleming described Junior’s conduct as “appalling” and a “tragedy”.

“You armed yourself with a hammer, the victims were vulnerable, the victim was up on a roof, there was nowhere to go,” she said.

Junior (right) and Senior Amone leaving Wollongong Local Court last year. Picture: Dylan Arvela

“I think it is a tragedy, this could jeopardise your entire future in the profession you love,” she said. “It is your tragedy not mine.”

The father and son were found guilty of multiple charges relating to an incident outside their family home at Warrawong in November, 2022.

Junior pleaded not guilty to destroying or damaging property, intimidation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Junior and Senior Amone were fined $1000 each for damaging the tradesman’s car. Picture: Supplied

The father pleaded not guilty to destroying or damaging property, intimidation and entering a building or land with the intent to commit an indictable offence.

Junior was ordered to complete 300 hours of community service. Both men were fined $1000 each for damaging a car and will have to pay their share of $13,481 in compensation.

The NRL issued Junior with a notice to cancel his registration on December 19 and he has not opted to petition against the governing body’s verdict.

This has seen his $500,000 contract with the Dragons torn up with 12 months remaining.

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