Bayleigh Bentley-Hape might never make it back to the NRL after his second driving offence earned him a nomination for The Frownlow Medal.
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 AFL player Noah Balta is the most recent recipient.
Bentley-Hape has been in and out of the South Sydney team since making his debut in 2025, but might have destroyed his career after this latest mistake.
The Rabbitohs winger was disqualified from driving for nine months and ordered to pay a $1500 fine after pleading guilty last week to the charge of driving while suspended (second offence).
Bentley-Hape was already on the side line after suffering a severe knee injury, and will now struggle to get back into first grade after this indiscretion. He has an extensive traffic record and the judge in his latest court appearance told him: “The more you do this the more the courts get to the point where they have to start considering imprisonment,”
Bentley-Hape joins many other professional footballers who failed to reach great heights on the field and will be remembered more for mistakes they made off the field. At least he has the awards night for The Frownlow Medal to look forward to at the end of this year.
Image: NuNa
