Brandon Wakeham made a low-key return to rugby league on Friday night – his first game since drug supply charges were sensationally dropped – declaring: “The NRL is still the dream.”
Wakeham was arrested by police in the Brookvale Oval carpark in May after an eight-month investigation into the supply of illicit drugs.
The former Canterbury and Wests Tigers half was charged with taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug, greater than a large commercial quantity; taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug, greater than an indictable and less than a commercial quantity; and participating in a criminal group.
NSW Police released photos of Wakeham being handcuffed at the back of Manly’s home ground.
During one of the first court hearings, it was alleged Wakeham was in the passenger seat of a car during two instances of alleged drug supply. On neither occasion did he “have any knowledge” of what was going on, his high-profile lawyer Elias Tabchouri said at the time.
Wakeham’s home was also raided by police, while the playmaker was later ordered to stop training and playing with NSW Cup team Blacktown as part of the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy.
Brandon Wakeham made a low-key return to rugby league on Friday night at Leichhardt.Credit: NRL Photos
Wakeham maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal, and all the charges were dropped in November.
“Today’s result, with the charges withdrawn and dismissed against him, is a vindication for Brandon and the fact that he never did anything wrong,” Tabchouri said at the time.
Wakeham landed a contract with Manly’s reserve grade team and has been training with the Sea Eagles’ NRL team for the past month on a train-and-trial deal.
He played about 25 minutes for the Sea Eagles against Penrith on Friday and later told this masthead it was a moment he feared may never come again.
Police arrest Brandon Wakeham in May.Credit: Police Media
The Leichhardt Oval cameo was his first game in 285 days, since he captained Blacktown in a NSW Cup game against Newtown.
“I’m just happy to back out there today after almost a year of not playing,” Wakeham said. “It was good to get out there for about 25 minutes – it was my first 25 minutes since everything went down.
“This morning when I woke up, I thought about the last year and what had happened.
“I thought it had all been taken away from me last year.
“I’m thankful I’ve been given this opportunity to come back to the club. I’ve tried to put my best foot forward, so we’ll see what happens from that. I’m just glad to get today over and done with, and happy to feel that contact again.”
Wests Tigers fans inside the ground to watch their team play Parramatta in the later trial were familiar with Wakeham after he played 15 NRL games for the club in 2023. He was bought as a back-up playmaker by then coach Tim Sheens, who never thought he would need to rely so heavily on the Fiji international.
The 26-year-old Wakeham knows his only chance in the NRL at Manly will come if there were mass injuries to Daly Cherry-Evans, Luke Brooks and even Jake Arthur, but he is grateful to be back doing what he loves.
