Monday Buzz: Open letter to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo not to attend Michael Jennings’ 300th game

You have a huge responsibility to every woman in rugby league and it’s why you can’t present Michael Jennings with his 300-game match-ball. Read Phil Rothfield’s full open letter to Andrew Abdo.

Michael Jennings is set to play his 300th NRL game. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Dear Andrew,

The Newcastle Knights host the Sydney Roosters at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night.

This is no ordinary club game.

I’m writing to you in regards to Michael Jennings playing his 300th game – normally a milestone occasion to be celebrated. Normally, but this time it’s different.

Jennings does not deserve to be playing NRL, let alone have the chief executive of our game travel to Newcastle to honour him with the match-ball presentation.

It would be a shocking and embarrassing look for a game that has made so much headway in recent years around women in rugby league.

As you are aware, a civil court in 2021 found Jennings sexually assaulted his ex-wife, Kirra Wilden.

Judge David Wilson found Jennings sexually assaulted Wilden four times in 2014 and 2015.

Not once, four times.

You should read the court evidence like I have … it is horrible.

Michael Jennings is set to play his 300th NRL game. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Sure, it was a civil trial in which a lower burden of proof is required, compared to that required in a criminal case. But, still, the opinion of a highly respected judge on the evidence before him.

Wilden, according to the judge, had lost her capacity for employment from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the four assaults.

So, in 2021, Judge Wilson ordered Jennings to pay her more than $500,000 in damages.

He appealed to reduce the damages awarded to his ex-wife, which is his legal right, but lost in a judgment handed down on March 14, 2023.

Yet Wilden has still not been paid. Not one cent.

In fact in June 2022, a judge found that Jennings had sold three investment properties and given the money, which exceeded $1.6 million, to a third party.

“I find that the payment of money to [a third party] was done in order to dissipate or minimise the defendant’s assets in a transparent attempt to avoid satisfying the judgment made in favour of the plaintiff [Wilden],” the judge found.

Andrew, I have enormous respect for you as a sporting administrator.

The game is right now flying under your watch.

However, I urge you not to travel to Newcastle to present the game ball.

I would also urge you to contact Fox Sports and Channel 9 and ask for the presentation not to be televised.

Many people don’t want to see it, especially Kirra Wilden.

You have a huge responsibility to every woman in rugby league … that Jennings’ behaviour will never ever be acceptable in our sport.

Yours sincerely,

Buzz