Brisbane Broncos forward TC Robati has been stood down effective immediately over an alleged off-field incident.
A Brisbane club statement on Friday confirmed that Robati will stand down from all club activities, with the board accepting his position to not be involved with the club for the time being.
The club has confirmed that Robati will face court in January after being charged with one count of sexual assault for an alleged incident that took place on December 21. He was charged last Saturday (December 24).
According to the statement, Robati allegedly inappropriately placed his hand on a female, with the club reporting the incident to the NRL integrity unit which will conduct its own investigation.
The NRL is yet to comment on the incident, and it's unclear at this stage if the no-fault stand-down rule would be enforced in this instance, as it has been against other players.
The alleged incident occurred during the playing group's Christmas leave period, with club CEO Dave Donaghy confirming the club's position.
"We have accepted TC's position in standing down from all club activities," Donaghy said in the statement.
"There is now a legal process in place and that needs to be respected and adhered to.
"We fully acknowledge that this is a serious matter and as a club, we are strongly opposed to any situation that involves the intrusion of personal boundaries with members of the public.
"The Board and I will review the matter further following TC's court appearance in January."