The South Sydney Rabbitohs have decided to sack a rookie before he was set to begin pre-season training with the team following a drug supply charge.
The younger brother of former NSW Blues and NRL centre James Roberts, Michael Roberts was set to train with the Rabbitohs in the pre-season after previously being involved in The Dolphins system.
However, the club confirmed that he would no longer be joining the club after he was refused police bail on a pre-existing drug supply charge relating to cocaine on Sunday after he was convicted of indictable drug supply and participating in a criminal group, per The Daily Telegraph.
It is understood that he intends to fight the charges and will appear at Ballina Local Court on November 20.
“The South Sydney Rabbitohs have been made aware of an issue with Michael Roberts,” the spokesman told the publication.
“Michael did not start training with the club this week and will not be joining the club.”
A talented youngster, Roberts was signed to The Dolphins at the end of 2021 alongside Harrison Graham and Valynce Te Whare but left after only one season with the club.
More recently, he featured for the Evans Head Bombers in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (NRRRL) competition.
A graduate of the famed Palm Beach-Currumbin High School, Roberts was a standout in his junior years.
This saw him score the match-winning try of the 2021 southern-Queensland final of the NRL Schoolboy Cup, and become an Australian Schoolboy.
He was also named in Brad Fittler's Junior Blues squad in the past, alongside the likes of Blaize Talagi, Samuela Fainu and Ethan Sanders.
“Throughout the investigation, police monitored and recorded (Michael) participating in the following supplies of cocaine with the co-accused person,” police allege in the document," a police document read via The Daily Telegraph detailing Roberts' alleged involvement.
“Police will assert (Michael) and (Bolt) used phones to conduct and arrange the drug transactions.”