Brandon Smith will fight allegations he supplied cocaine to former teammate and fellow NRL star Victor Radley.
The South Sydney hooker has been ordered not to contact Radley as part of his bail conditions after facing court on drug and betting charges.
The Kiwi international was swamped by a media scrum when he appeared for the first time to answer the charges on the Gold Coast on Thursday.
The 29-year-old did not speak during the brief appearance in Southport Magistrates Court, where his lawyer said the charges would be contested.
Court documents show Smith is accused of unlawfully supplying Sydney Roosters lock Radley with cocaine at Currimundi, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, on June 7.
Text messages allegedly exchanged between Smith and Radley were reportedly uncovered in a police investigation.
Radley has not been charged with any offence.
That hasn’t spared him from the heaviest penalty in the history of the team, suspended by the Roosters for 10 games for bringing the club into disrepute.
Radley, who has accepted the punishment and apologised for his behaviour, will also have to donate $30,000 to St Vincent’s Hospital.
Smith has been charged jointly on the cocaine supply count with Joshua Geoffrey Peter Bainbridge, 34, and the court ordered no contact between the pair.
The NRL star also faces a charge of disclosing inside knowledge of the Souths’ starting line-up for his return from injury on July 2.
Smith’s inside knowledge about being moved to the run-on side for the Rabbitohs’ clash against Manly was allegedly shared with Bainbridge, who then placed a bet on the game as a result.
A Rabbitohs fan got a selfie with Smith while he waited to sign bail documents before the NRL star was whisked away by a car waiting outside the court.
A lone supporter wearing a Souths green and red jersey earlier turned up to greet the player’s arrival at court.
Smith refused to answer questions as he was swarmed by reporters and photographers, with one journalist copping an accidental elbow to the chest during the melee.
The player is being represented by leading Sydney lawyer Paul McGirr, who said he had yet to see the brief of evidence against the 29-year-old Kiwi hooker.
“At this stage, we will await the service of the brief of evidence and, in good time, enter into potential discussions with the Queensland police and DPP to resolve the matter one way or the other,” Mr McGirr told AAP after Smith’s appearance.
The case was adjourned until October 9 for mention, with his appearance excused.
The charges stem from a police investigation after officers seized Smith’s phone at Gold Coast Airport.
The South Sydney hooker was questioned by police when he arrived in Queensland before his club’s August 10 clash with Gold Coast.
He was released without charge and ran out against the Titans.
Police confirmed on August 25 that Smith had been charged.
The next day, the NRL allowed the rake to play in the final regular-season round for South Sydney, ruling out the prospect of enforcing an immediate ban.
The charges against Smith were brought by Taskforce Maxima, which targets criminal gang activity across Queensland.
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