One of the hottest prospects in the NRL has been nominated for The Frownlow Medal after being arrested in Bali for alleged involvement in a violent incident at a nightclub. David Fifita was arrested and thrown into a cell on the party island after being accused of fighting with a security guard.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015 and code-swapper Karmichael Hunt was the most recent recipient.
Fifita was arrested after an alleged assault at La Favela nightclub, the same location where Nelson Asofa-Solomona earned his recent Frownlow nomination. It was also reported that he had not been fully questioned by police because he was too drunk to properly answer questions.
The Frownlow nomination comes just weeks before the announcement of The Frownlow medallist for 2019, and just weeks after Fifita captained the junior Kangaroos. An official from Fifita’s club, the Brisbane Broncos, has flown to Bali to assist the young star through the investigation.
So, will Fifita win The Frownlow Medal for 2019?
That is a very tough question to answer. This year has been one of the most competitive since the award’s inception, with contenders such as Jarryd Hayne, Jack de Belin, Jaidyn Stephenson, Scott Bolton and Manase Fainu all attracting the attention of judges.
Fifita now has to hope that he is released from his Bali jail cell in time to attend the awards night for The Frownlow Medal and The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 