Dragons star’s $500k deal in doubt over hammer attack

The troubled five-eighth is set to have his NRL contract deregistered after the governing body issued a notice on Tuesday.

Junior Amone faces the sack from the NRL.

Dragons star Junior Amone is set to have his NRL contract deregistered after the governing body issued a notice to the five-eighth amid his court battle over his role in a hammer attack.

Amone avoided prison in Wollongong District Court last week after being convicted of charges of intimidation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he brandished a hammer and chased a tradesman off a roof in November last year.

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The NRL on Tuesday afternoon confirmed it had issued the notice, which is the first step towards deregistering Amone’s contract.

“The National Rugby League (NRL) has today issued a Notice to St George Illawarra Dragons player Talatau Junior Amone under the NRL Playing Contract and Remuneration Rules,” the club said in a statement.

Junior Amone faces the sack from the NRL.

“On 11 December, 2023 the player was sentenced in Wollongong Local Court to two years imprisonment by way of an intensive corrections order and 300 hours of community service.

“This sentence followed Amone’s conviction on charges of Intimidation and Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm in Company relating to an incident at Warrawong on 15 November 2022.

“Additionally, the player was fined $1,000 by the Court for a charge of Destroy or Damage Property and ordered to pay compensation to the victim.

“The NRL’s wellbeing and counselling services have been made available to the player.”

Amone, 21 has scored 10 tries in 54 NRL games since his debut for the Dragons in 2021 and was considered their long-term five-eighth.

Junior Amone was found guilty of chasing a tradie off a roof as he wielded a hammer. Picture: NCA Newswire/Steve Zemek.

On the same day they saw two of their main targets sign elsewhere, the Dragons could be dealt a further blow over Amone’s NRL future.

Official confirmation from the NRL is unlikely to come this week given they can’t give final punishments until a player has had time to respond.

Neither the NRL nor the Dragons can comment until the matter is finalised.

But losing Amone would be another major blow to the Red V given key targets Tom Dearden (Cowboys) and Addin Fonua-Blake (Sharks) signed big deals at rival clubs on Tuesday.

The club has already lost Jayden Sullivan to the Wests Tigers, while skipper Ben Hunt has made it clear he wants to move back to Queensland in 2025.

- with NCA Newswire

Originally published as Dragons star’s $500k deal in doubt over hammer attack