Former Canterbury Bulldogs' prop Ofahiki Ogden has escaped a conviction in court, with his charge for possession of a prohibited drug dismissed.
Ogden was stopped on the morning of October 3 (NRL grand final day) by police and found to be in possession of a quantity of cocaine, a charge he would plead guilty to.
Ogden, who was a contracted player at the Bulldogs in 2021 and used as a backup option in the front row for the Bulldogs, was not renewed at the club when his contract expired on October 31.
Currently without an NRL deal, escaping a conviction means the NRL would be likely to register a new contract, should he find one. However, there has been no rumoured interest from around the competition for the 25-year-old Auckland-born prop, who has played 45 games in the NRL since making his debut for the Bulldogs in 2018.
It had been understood Ogden was in line for a new deal at the Bulldogs, but it was pulled off the table mid-year as the club battled to keep their salary cap in check among a wave of new signings, with the number currently sitting at ten.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Ogden's charges were dismissed after he was discharged into the care of a responsible person. He must continue to uphold the terms of a court order however, which will see him continue treatment for mental health and drug and alcohol issues, take medications, and to not use any illicit substances.
It's understood the NRL and Rugby League Players Association are also looking into the NRL's illicit substance and drug testing policy, which currently doesn't allow players to be tested for non performance-enhancing drugs during the off-season.
Ogden's incident wasn't the only problem for the NRL in the early October timeframe, and it's understood the NRL are keen to ensure the sport stays out of the headlines for the wrong reasons moving forward following a disastrous month off-field.