Junior Amone avoids jail over hammer attack but NRL career in balance

The rugby league career of Junior Amone is hanging by a thread as the NRL prepares to consider whether to tear up the 21-year-old’s contract after he avoided jail for his role in a rooftop hammer attack on a tradie in Wollongong.

The St George Illawarra five-eighth was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order and 300 hours of community service in Wollongong Local Court on Monday.

His future will now rest in the hands of the NRL’s integrity unit who will consider further sanctions, including the possibility of deregistering his $500,000-a-year deal.

The NRL and the Dragons will spend coming days analysing the judgment, which comes just after Amone entered the final year of his deal with the Red V.

A decision on Amone’s future could be handed down before Christmas, with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo to be kept abreast of developments while on a promotional visit to Las Vegas for the historic season opener.

The Dragons won’t play their first matches of 2024 until February’s pre-season challenge, but the NRL and the club would like to have the matter resolved swiftly after reviewing court documents.

Junior Amone in action for the Dragons.Credit: Getty

Amone had already been stood down from all club activities by the Dragons after being found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalking or intimidation and destroying or damaging property in court in October.

He was arrested late last year over the attack, with the court hearing details the St George Illawarra player and his father, Talatau Amone, armed themselves with hammers and attacked tradies near their home in Warrawong after a dispute over a vehicle parked on a nature strip.

One of the tradesmen fell two metres and sustained injuries to his wrists, arms and hip after allegedly being pushed off a roof in an incident Magistrate Gabrielle Fleming described as “appalling”.

Amone’s father was jailed for two years and six months with a non-parole period of 12 months. The sentence was backdated for time already spent in custody before he was bailed, meaning he will be eligible for release in September.

St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan.

Junior Amone maintained his innocence throughout the saga, telling the club he wasn’t involved in the incident shortly after news broke of his father’s arrest late last year.

St George Illawarra said they would work with the NRL to determine any further action against Amone.

“The Dragons acknowledge the two-year intensive corrections order that was handed down to player Talatau [Junior] Amone today,” the club said in a statement.

“The club will now work closely with the NRL integrity unit to determine the appropriate next steps. An update will be provided once this process has been completed.”

NRL integrity unit officials observed court proceedings on Monday before deciding whether a further penalty is warranted.

An NRL spokesperson said: “The NRL integrity unit will now review the proceedings in the Wollongong Local Court following the sentencing of Dragons player, Junior Talatau Amone.”

Amone is considered one of the Dragons’ brightest prospects and is under contract until the end of 2024.

He has played 54 NRL games and has been capped by Tonga at international level. St George Illawarra skipper Ben Hunt had hoped to form a long-term scrumbase combination with five-eighth Amone, but that’s now in jeopardy.

New coach Shane Flanagan is now expected to try son Kyle, who has signed a two-year deal with the Red V, alongside Hunt given Amone’s off-field drama.

with AAP

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