31 Aug 2009

New Zealand rugby league player arrested in Sydney

6:47 pm on 31 August 2009

The New Zealand rugby league international Setaimata Sa has been charged with assault after he allegedly ran riot at a Sydney hotel last night, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The report says the Sydney Roosters player was detained by police after he was refused entry to the hotel for being too drunk.

He still made his way in though and when he resisted police had to physically restrained before being taken away.

He's been charged with assault, resisting arrest, malicious damage and failure to leave a licenced premises and will appear in court next month.

In February Sa was ordered to complete 250 hours of community service after he fractured a man's skull during a brawl last year.

The incident continues a year of shame for the game and the NRL club.

The recent incident had been Roosters forward Nate Myles being suspended for six weeks over his drunken behaviour at a Central Coast hotel, where he defecated in a hotel corridor after attending a junior rugby league function.

The Roosters club has been fined $50,000 because of the number of alcohol-related incidents that have affected the club this season.

Coach Brad Fittler fined himself $10,000 after being found drunk and shirtless and attempting to enter someone else's hotel room in Townsville.