The Sydney Roosters have stood down club legend Jake Friend until his court case involving his partner has been resolved.
Friend, who won three premierships as a player and is one of the Roosters’ favourite sons, is in the midst of a legal battle in which police took out an apprehended violence order on behalf of his partner and allege he resisted officers as they went to detain him.
The former star hooker has a key role in the club since retirement from repeated concussions as head coach of the Roosters academy and pathways program.
Senior sources at the Roosters have told Wide World of Sports that Friend is on ‘gardening leave’ until the case is settled in court.
Friend, now 35, played for over a decade at the Roosters and won three premierships in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
He also represented both Queensland in State of Origin and played once for Australia.
DCE’S WARM RETURN TO MANLY
Sea Eagles legend Daly Cherry-Evans made one final return to Manly last weekend.
DCE, who stunned the league world when he quit the club after 15 seasons to join the Roosters this year, was a guest at the fundraising function for former media manager Wayne Cousins at Manly Leagues Club on Saturday night.
The veteran halfback was warmly greeted by former teammates and coaches as well as the Manly faithful.
It was a night that showed rugby league at its very best – journos, officials and fans helping out a man who nearly died and spent almost a year in hospital battling a rare disease.
BAD BOY’S SON MAKING HIS MARK OVERSEAS
Few in the game don’t remember the infamous Julian O’Neill, a superb player back in the 1990s who often got himself in strife off the field.
There was a lovely moment in England last weekend when O’Neill’s son Ethan made his debut for Leeds Rhinos at Widnes, where Julian played two stints in 1992 and 2003.
A former Queensland under-16 back-rower who spent time in the Roosters system and played for the Adrian Lam-coached Leigh Leopards last year, the 26-year-old Ethan handed in a solid debut and came away with a win.
WARRIORS PICK UP TEENAGE GUN
The Warriors have picked up a handy youngster in classy playmaker and goalkicker Bailey Maruariki-Butler for this season.
Several Aussie clubs were keen on the 16-year-old halfback but he opted to stay in the Shaky Isles.
He’s expected to start his Warriors journey in the Harold Matthews Cup but is tipped for bigger and better things over the next couple of seasons as his body fills out.
