Australia’s best footballers have been banned from driving after a series of traffic offences earned multiple nominations 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.
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.
Every contracted player from NRL and AFL, as well as NRLW, will have to lock away the car keys after so many players were caught disobeying the road rules in 2026.
NRL player and Australia representative Josh Addo-Carr may have thrown away his NRL career after allegedly testing positive to cocaine while driving recently. He committed the same offence in 2024.
Many players followed Addo-Carr’s lead.
Bayleigh Bentley-Hape has been in and out of the South Sydney team since making his debut in 2025, and may also have destroyed his career after pleading guilty to the charge of driving while suspended (second offence). This saw him disqualified from driving for nine months and he was ordered to pay a $1500 fine.
Josiah Karapani provided Brisbane Broncos fans with something to cheer about on the field this year. However, he was caught speeding and was charged with ‘Failure to display P plates’, ‘Driving an unregistered vehicle’ and ‘Driving an uninsured vehicle’ as well as blowing 0.037 on a breath test while driving a provisional licence.
NRL player Jermain McEwen was caught drink-driving on a suspended licence, while Seriah Palepale from NRLW led police on a high-speed car chase until she crashed into a telegraph pole. She was charged with four offences and is the only female player to be nominated for Frownlow honours so far this year.
Adelaide Crows AFL player Josh Worrell hit a pedestrian with his car and faces charges of aggravated driving without due care and failing to present to police within 90 minutes of an accident involving injury.
Even retired footballers joined in.
Jamil Hopoate (of the infamous Hopoate family) was arrested recently after allegedly crashing into a parked car on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Reports also indicate that he may have failed a roadside breath test.
Fellow NRL alumni, Darrell Trindall, drove through the night from Sydney to Tamworth (330+kms) while smoking about $100 worth of ice in 2025. He was seen driving erratically in an emergency stop lane 30km/h under the speed limit with his hazard lights on, waving at passing cars, and his car was accelerating and braking in an erratic manner.
Pinpoint pupils, sweaty skin, highly erratic behaviour, exaggerated gestures and fidgeting earned him a 12-month CCO, a $750 fine and a 12-month suspension from driving, as well as a nomination for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Keep an eye out for the NRL and AFL to announce new sponsorship agreements with their favourite ride share partners soon.
Image: Why Kei
