NRL star Adam Reynolds’ brother-in-law charged over Oxford St brawl

NRL star Adam Reynolds’ brother-in-law is one of three people so far charged over the wild brawl outside an Oxford St pub over the weekend.

NRL star Adam Reynolds’ brother-in-law is one of three people so far charged over the wild brawl outside an Oxford St pub over the weekend.

Keidan Donovan-Phillips, 20, will spend at least the next two weeks behind bars on remand charged with affray over the brawl outside the Oxford Hotel in Sydney’s CBD in the early hours of Saturday morning that saw Evander Tuala lose his fight for life on Monday evening.

Donovan-Phillips’ sister is Tallara Simon-Phillips, who married current Brisbane Broncos captain Reynolds in 2016.

One relative admitted to The Daily Telegraph that the past few days had been a “tough time” for the family.

Police are continuing to hunt for the man who threw the significant blow in the brawl that claimed the life of Tuala, who police confirmed died in St Vincent’s Hospital at around 7:30pm on Monday evening – almost 72 hours after he was punched.

A man charged over a wild brawl on Oxford St on Saturday morning is the brother-in-law of NRL star Adam Reynolds.

Keidan Donovan-Phillips was charged with affray over the wild brawl outside the Oxford Hotel.

Donovan-Phillips is the brother of Tallara Simon-Phillips, the wife of Brisbane Broncos captain Adam Reynolds. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Shattered relatives of Tuala, 23, gathered at St Vincent’s Hospital to pay a final farewell to the young man they called “Woody”.

At his family home in Fairfield West, his heartbroken grandmother said she had been told by a lawyer not to make any comment – while those who gathered at St Vincent’s also maintained their silence.

However Tuala’s cousin Dietrich Roache, who plays Rugby Sevens for Australia, paid an emotional tribute as the team won a bronze medal at the Singapore Sevens tournament on Sunday night.

Evander Tuala died after being critically injured in the fight outside the Oxford Hotel on Saturday.

Tuala's cousin Dietrich Roache had his name written on his wrist when he played for Australia’s rugby 7’s team in Singapore on Sunday night.

Family and friends of Evander Tuala gathered outside St Vincent’s Hospital on Monday where the 23-year-old’s life support was turned off. Picture: Julian Andrews

Roache wrote “RIL (Rest in Love) Woody” on his wrists during Australia’s match against Ireland, and pointed to the sky as he scored a try under the posts.

Despite Tuala’s life support having not officially been turned off, many relatives posted tributes on social media seemingly accepting the fact he would not recover.

“You deserved a better fate than what you received, so saddened to know that you were the strong one in the family but didn’t even get an opportunity to defend yourself from a cowardly act, you deserve justice,” his relative Nancy Tautaiolefue wrote.

Police have also charged Byron Brown-Yeo and a third man with affray over the brawl, but are continuing to ask for anyone with information to come forward to help them identify the person who punched Tuala.

Originally published as NRL star Adam Reynolds’ brother-in-law charged over Oxford St brawl