Dragons playmaker Amone found guilty of hammer attack

The immediate playing future of St George Illawarra playmaker Talatau “Junior” Amone is again clouded after he was found guilty of a hammer attack on a roofing contractor that could result in jail time.

Amone pleaded not guilty after being charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company, destroying property and intimidation over an incident in December 2022. However, the 21-year-old was found guilty of all charges when a decision was handed down by magistrate Gabriel Fleming at Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday morning.

“We respect the decision of any court, whether we agree with it or not,” said Amone’s lawyer, Elias Tabchouri.

“We will get through that process and consider any possible appeal in the future.”

Amone will be sentenced on December 6. Asked what the outcome meant for his playing career, Tabchouri said: “That is a matter for the NRL integrity commission.

“We are focusing on resolving these matters at this stage.”

Amone fronted court with his father, who was also facing charges stemming from the incident.

The younger Amone was initially suspended under the NRL’s no-fault, stand down policy, only to have the ban lifted after the matter was prosecuted in the local court. The case was initially set down for the district court, where the maximum penalty for the more serious grievous bodily harm charge was up to 14 years in prison.

Tabchouri successfully petitioned for the NRL’s stand-down rule – which applies to players charged with an offence carrying a maximum prison term of 11 years or more – to be lifted given that the maximum sentence available in the local court is only five years.