Dragons star Jack de Belin breaks silence after three-year saga

Jack de Belin has fronted the media for the first time in over three years, speaking with a select group of journalists on Wednesday.

St. George Illawarra Dragons forward Jack de Belin has fronted the media for the first time in over three years, speaking with a select group of journalists at WIN Stadium on Wednesday.

In May last year, the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew sexual assault charges against de Belin and his co-accused Callan Sinclair following two District Court trials which ended in hung juries. Both men consistently maintained they were innocent and had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Then in July, de Belin was alleged to have misled Dragons officials about his involvement in a BBQ at former teammate Paul Vaughan’s house that broke NSW Covid-19 regulations, resulting in $305,000 worth of fines handed out to players and saw Vaughan’s contract ripped up.

After a three-year hiatus from the NRL, de Belin made his long-awaited return to professional rugby league last season, playing 11 games for the Dragons in 2021.

But after refusing to discuss the court case with the media for more than three years, de Belin finally broke his silence on the eve of the 2022 premiership, claiming he never considered the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison.

“The darkest moment was definitely going to the police station,’’ he told reporters.

“I had no idea I was going to get charged. I thought I was just going down there to have a chat.

“But being charged and arrested when I arrived was definitely the darkest time.

“I never once thought about spending time behind bars. It just wasn’t a possibility in my mind that I wouldn’t be there to spend time with my girls.

“I never really took any interest in that whole situation. I don’t know if it was my ego or just blind optimism, but I never once thought of ever going to jail.

“I think that’s maybe what kept me strong.

“The people who know me and who are in my inner circle know for a fact I’d never do anything like what I’ve been accused of.

“I can hold my head high.”

Dragons player Jack de Belin during a media conference. Picture James Corman

The 30-year-old conceded he was disappointed not to receive a not-guilty verdict on five of six charges related to the alleged sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in Wollongong in December 2018.

“I’ve always stated my innocence from the get-go and that’s what gave me my strength, my innocence and knowing I didn’t do the wrong thing,’’ he said.

“Initially I was because that’s the only thing I ever expected, a full acquittal.

“My mind was not prepared for (a hung jury).

“That’s probably when it initially hurt me the most, especially for someone like Callan (Sinclair) as well. He was in the same situation as me and we didn’t expect to have that.

“These are the times we live in. The charges have been dismissed and dropped. As I’ve said, I’ve stated my innocence from the get-go and I stand by that.’’

De Belin broke down in tears when asked how the sexual assault trials had impacted his young family.

“It’s one of the most amazing things to become a father,’’ he said.

“I just love them so much. I love my girls so much.

“Being there, in their lives and being a good role model as a father is something I’m definitely striving to do.

Jack de Belin of the Dragons. Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images

“I was a bit selfish for a while there. I suppose a lot of football players are, you have to be if you’re a professional athlete.

“I was a bit consumed in my own life and what was best for me without putting others first.

“To now have two children – it just blows your mind, that it’s not all about you.

“I’m not necessarily saying I’m sorry, things happened and have panned out the way they have.

“I am sorry my family got put through this whole situation, (and) my friends.

“Those are mistakes you make.

“That’s something I look back on and, in the three years since I made that mistake, I’ve learned a lot about myself.

“Everything happens for a reason.

“I’ve got to look at the positives and, because of this thing that’s happened to me, I don’t think I’d be the father I am today, the partner I am today and the person I am today.

“It’s like anything, you’ve got to take the positives out of each situation as dark as it may be.’’

Meanwhile, de Belin said it was “up to the NRL to decide” whether to scrap the controversial no-fault stand-down policy that kept him sidelined for nearly three years.

“I can see why they did it, they’ve got to protect themselves,” he said.

“I can see exactly what they’re doing, they’ve got a lot of interests and things to be keeping on top of.

“At the end of the day, they’ve got to do what they need to do to protect the game.

“At the same time, when you know you haven’t done something and you’re innocent and you’re not allowed to do your job or your occupation … it is what it is.

“I don’t hold any grudges. They did what they had to do so, play on.”

Dragons NRL player Jack de Belin during a media conference. Picture James Corman

De Belin also described the infamous barbecue at Vaughan’s house, where he allegedly hid from police under a bed, as a “grave error of judgment”.

“I’m not going to go into specifics about the barbecue. It’s all been reported and I shouldn’t have been there in the first place,” he said.

“That was a grave error of judgment. It really affected me because I put myself in a situation that I shouldn’t have, especially with everything I had going on and all the people that backed me.

“With the other criminal situation I could always hold my head up high because I didn’t do the wrong thing. With the barbecue I did and I had to front up for that.

“I want to repay the club for supporting me. That means being a model citizen off the field and showing the club that I am a good person and I have the best interests of the club at heart.”

The Dragons will face the New Zealand Warriors at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Saturday, March 12, with kick-off scheduled for 5.30pm AEDT.