NRL player Luciano Leilua has been nominated for The Frownlow Medal for an off-field incident, but it could have been much worse. In fact, he has done much worse in the past.
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 Talatau Amone is the most recent recipient.
The North Queensland Cowboy was recently charged with drink driving. He was caught over the limit while driving in Townsville and was fined $300 after pleading guilty to the charge, and was suspended from driving for at least a month.
Leilua broke the law, and has been punished, but he has been charged with more serious offences. He earned his first Frownlow nomination in 2022 after being charged with assault and property damage. He was arrested after committing an act against a woman known to him. After a police investigation, he escaped serious punishment for this indiscretion and was allowed to continue playing, giving him another chance to vie for The Frownlow Medal. He has taken that opportunity with both hands – presumably with a beer in each.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 