Former NRL star Brett Finch’s wife by his side as he vows to fight child abuse material charge

The wife of embattled former NRL star Brett Finch has appeared by his side as he vows to fight charges of commenting on child abuse in an online chat room.

The wife of embattled former NRL star Brett Finch has appeared by his side as he vows to fight charges of commenting on child abuse in an online chat room.

Finch, 40, left his Sans Souci home in a hurry on Wednesday morning, before he hopped into a white Range Rover wife Elli Johnson.

Finch married Elli – the daughter of former AFL great Wayne Johnson – in Melbourne in 2018, having met when the rugby league star was playing for the Melbourne Storm. The pair have a two-year-old daughter.

Almost exactly 24 hours earlier the former NSW Blues representative had left his home again, but this time with NSW Police Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad detectives by his side.

Embattled ex-NRL star Brett Finch leaves his Sans Souci home alongside wife Elli Johnson in a hurry on Wednesday morning. Picture: John Grainger

Finch has been charged with five counts of using a carriage service to transmit or publish or promote child abuse. Picture: John Grainger

They took him to Kogarah Police Station where he was charged with five counts of using a carriage service to transmit or publish or promote child abuse.

He was granted conditional police bail to appear at Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday, January 11 2022.

It is understood police allege Finch’s offending most recently occurred in January, with the other incidents allegedly more than 12 months ago.

Finch’s solicitor Paul McGirr stressed it was not alleged Finch had shared any child abuse material.

“And there’s no evidence from the police to suggest otherwise,” McGirr said.

“We don’t know who’s making those alleged comments. At this stage, it is a defended matter – there is nothing more I can add. All we have at this stage are scant details.

“It would be foolish for anyone to comment or pass judgment on Brett or the matter.”

Finch was arrested at his Sans Souci home on Tuesday morning. Picture: NSW Police

Finch’s career in the NFL spanned 15 years and saw him play 270 games for Canberra, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta and Melbourne. He also represented NSW three times between 2004 and 2006.

But in recent times it has been his off-field antics and battles with drugs and alcohol that have made more headlines.

After his on-field career ended he joined Channel 9, working as a sideline commentator and appearing on The Footy Show.

Finch married Elli in 2018 and the pair have a two-year-old daughter. Picture: Instagram.

However his mental health and substance abuse issues led to him losing both that and a job on radio with 2GB towards the end of 2015.

He joined FoxSports but continued to face many of the same struggles, leading to him checking himself into a mental health facility in 2019.

Finch was scheduled to host a sports show on SEN radio on Tuesday afternoon before withdrawing from the shift. He had been substituting for holidaying regulars Bryan Fletcher and Joel Caine.

SEN took the feed from their afternoon show in Melbourne.

In a 15-year NRL career, Finch played 270 games for Canberra, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta and Melbourne. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

The Daily Telegraph understands Finch spent Saturday at the Clovelly Hotel farewelling his mate Mitchell Pearce who is headed to France to play with the Catalan Dragons.

Fellow NRL stars including Kieran Foran and Connor Watson were also in attendance at the gathering.

It came as shocked former teammate told how they have been aware of Finch’s drug and alcohol issues and have regularly attempted to assist in his recovery, but had little success.

“We all try but he doesn’t seem to want to be helped,” one former Roosters teammate said.

In a 15-year NRL career, Finch played 270 games for Canberra, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta and Melbourne. He also represented NSW between 2004 and 2006.

Speaking on a Melbourne podcast just last week, Finch urged those struggling with mental health issues to “keep going.”

“People say they’re going through hell. Well, if you’re going through hell, keep going,” he said. “Why stop? People give up because their life is hell. Keep going! Who wants to stay in hell?

“I could have given up many times, I’m so glad I didn’t. People didn’t give up on me.”

Finch was one of eight men arrested by detectives as part of their investigation into the online chat room.

The investigation – run by Strike Force Hank – seized mobile phones, electronic items and illicit drugs, as part of their ongoing investigation into the alleged transmission of child abuse material through an adult telephone service.

“We will allege that each of the men arrested by detectives over the past month expressed desires to engage in sexual activity with children, and in some cases, attempted to access child abuse material from other users of the service,” Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said.

Speaking generally he said, “Producing, disseminating or possessing child abuse material are serious offences, and detectives will continue to dismantle these types of operations, so children are free from harmful situations, exploitation and abuse.”

Originally published as Former NRL star Brett Finch’s wife by his side as he vows to fight child abuse material charge