Retired NRL star Brett Stewart has pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine after he was spotted by police making an illegal drug deal in Sydney.
Police spotted the former Sea Eagles champion in the midst of a shady interaction at Manly, in Sydney’s northern beaches, at about 7pm on March 10.
After watching the former premiership winner on Eustace St, officers became suspicious Stewart had been involved in a drug deal.
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Their suspicion was confirmed when they found a small bag of cocaine in Stewart’s possession.
Less than two months after the offence, the former fullback appeared in Manly Local Court to finalise the drug charge.
On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to the charge of possessing a prohibited drug.
Magistrate Robert Williams found Stewart guilty of the offences but did not convict him.
Instead, he imposed a nine-month conditional release order that will require Stewart to abide by the law and not commit any further offences.
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The 38-year-old will be restricted by the good behaviour bond until February 3, 2024.
It’s a fall from grace for the sporting star who once made headlines because of his athletic ability.
Stewart made his NRL debut in 2003 for the Manly Sea Eagles, where he would go on to win two premierships in 2008 and 2011.
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He played 233 games for the team in his 13-year career that ended when he retired due to recurring injuries in 2017.
During his long career, Stewart also represented Australia in international matches and played for NSW.
The famed fullback went down in history as the sixth-highest try scorer in NRL history.
