Brett Dallas has shown why he is the ultimate fallen footballer on his way to a nomination for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Dallas spent time in prison after retiring from a rugby league career that included starring for Australian and earning very good money.
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 men’s and women’s 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 Ezra Mam 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.
Dallas started playing in the NRL at age 17 and excited crowds with his blistering pace on the wing for Canterbury, North Sydney, Queensland and Australia. He is one of the youngest ever State of Origin players and won a premiership with the Bulldogs.
Then he fell from grace.
He spent 10 months in custody after being caught with 29 grams of meth to feed his addiction.
He broke up with his wife, with whom he has two children.
He was charged with more 10 stealing offences, mainly of clothes, furniture and electronic equipment including board shorts, a coffee table and mobile phone charger.
At the same time his online behaviour became more irrational, with a number of bizarre social media rants and worrying photographic posts alienating him from many in the rugby league community.
At one point, police allegedly found more than 29 grams of ice hidden inside an oven, as well as $7670 in cash, a packaging machine and two marijuana plants growing in his backyard. The bust came just months after Dallas appeared in court for his 10th stealing offence.
In 2021 he was charged with aggravated possession of ice, supplying ice, producing marijuana, possessing ketamine as well as weapons charges. He’d already been in police custody for six months.
This all happened after Dallas returned from playing rugby league in England and after completing qualifications to become a tradesman. However, Dallas drew on the familiar footballer’s excuses for his behaviour.
He blamed the transition from professional sport to normal life.
He blamed the breakdown of his marriage.
He blamed his new girlfriend, who was a drug user, for introducing him to drugs.
He then attributed his drug use to his diagnosis with schizophrenia.
All of this from a man who was once the fastest player in the NRL, and apparently one of the highest paid as a result of the Super League war.
Dallas fronted court many times during his fall from grace and was warned that repeated offences would lead to prison time. He didn’t listen, and spent time in prison.
The speedy winger can tell all his former colleagues about it when he sees them at the awards night for The Frownlow Medal and The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame later this year.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 