Cronulla Sharks five-eighth Braydon Trindall has pled guilty to charges of drunk driving and failing a roadside illicit substance test.
The club confirmed via a statement on Tuesday afternoon that he has been fined and disqualified from driving for three months as a result of the court hearing.
The five-eighth has also been hit with a breach notice from the NRL, although under new policies, it's unclear what the penalty will be with the player having five days to respond before any public announcement.
Trindall said he understood the severity of the mistake he made.
โI understand the serious mistake I made by getting behind the wheel on that Monday morning, with my actions potentially putting other drivers and people on the road at risk,โ Trindall said in the statement.
โI am deeply remorseful, apologise to the Club, my teammates, Sharks members and fans and to the NRL for the negative headlines I have created, and now accept the punishment handed down by the court. I have learnt some valuable lessons from this incident.
โMoving forward, I look forward to putting this behind me and to repaying the Sharks for the faith they have shown me and for the support they have provided.โ
Club CEO Dino Mezzatesta said Trindall is remorseful and that the club will consider their response to the breach notice.
โBraydon is remorseful and has pleaded guilty to the charges, however we have been offering him the help he needs in assisting him to deal with and overcome any issues he has been facing,โ Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta said.
โIt was his first offence of this nature, he has completed a traffic offenders' course and done everything else that has been asked of him. We trust he has learnt a lesson from this incident and from this experience.
โThe Club will now consider and respond to the NRL breach notice, and the Sharks Disciplinary Committee will also meet in the coming weeks to discuss the matter.โ
He will be free to play during the five business days that he has to respond to the notice. He has also been free to play since the incident, but he has yet to do so after the club made his well-being the top priority.
The club have confirmed he is available for selection ahead of this Thursday's game with the Parramatta Eels.
