Former NRL player Chris Sandow is so desperate to be a good role model that he got himself arrested and earned his second nomination for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Sandow is in custody after being charged with a string of offences including assaulting a police officer, and is arguing that the behaviour stemmed from a career in rugby league which makes him a role model for children.
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, while NRL star Jarryd Hayne is the most recent recipient.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Julian O’Neill.
The former halfback has been refused bail, for a second time, after being charged with serious assault of a police officer causing bodily harm, serious assault of a police officer or person acting in aid of a police officer, two counts of obstructing police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of driving without a licence, and evasion. He was arrested at his home in Ipswich in late August and has been in custody since.
In an effort to be relased from custody, his lawyer tried every excuse that a rugby league player can think of.
He told the judge Sandow had a distinguished NRL career.
He blamed the behaviour on repeated head knocks during Sandow’s time with the Rabbitohs and Eels.
He argued that Sandow is determined to be a good role model to children.
He claimed Sandow wanted to re-engage with his culture.
He reminded the judge that Sandow is a very talented footballer.
The judge was not convinced.
Perhaps because Sandow has already been nominated for Frownlow honours. In 2016, he was involved in a drunken street brawl in his home town of Cherbourg in Queensland.
Sandow now has until the end of the year to convince the judges of The Fronwlow Medal that he deserves to be inducted into the hall of fame.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 