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St George Illawarra NRL player Tristan Sailor has been charged with aggravated sexual assault after an alleged incident last weekend.
Tristan Sailor's rising NRL career hangs in the balance after being charged with aggravated sexual assault from an alleged incident last weekend.
Sailor, who is set to be released by St George Illawarra at the end of the season, was arrested in Wollongong on Saturday.
Officers searched the home he shares with his parents, including his father and former Wallabies and Kangaroos star Wendell Sailor.
Tristan Sailor has been refused bail, and is due to face Wollongong Local Court on Sunday.
"Police will allege in court that the man sexually assaulted the woman, during which she sustained injuries, at a home in Sydney's south last Saturday," police said in a statement.
The NRL have since stood the young star down under their no-fault policy, invoked last year after the game's summer from hell.
It means even if he attracts the interest of another club, he won't be able to return to the field until his court case is complete.
"The game has the strongest stance in Australian sport on these matters," chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
"The no-fault stand down rule ensures the automatic stand down of a player on a no-fault basis when they are charged with a serious criminal offence.
"The player is not contracted to play in the NRL next season and will not be permitted to play while he remains subject to serious criminal charges."
The alleged incident involves a 24-year-old woman, and occurred on the first weekend out of the game's COVID-19 bubble.
"The club is taking the matter very seriously and will continue to work with Tristan and all relevant authorities," the Dragons said in a statement.
"While Tristan won't be at the Dragons in 2021, the club will continue to provide any necessary welfare support as he comes to terms with the matter."
Sailor has had five games at the Dragons since making his debut in late 2019 before being told last month he would not be re-signed.
A former Queensland under-20s player, he was expected to attract plenty of interest from clubs once further details of next year's salary cap and roster numbers were finalised.
The 22-year-old playmaker remains part of the Dragons club until his contract expires on October 31.
His arrest came on a chaotic day for the NRL.
Parramatta centre Michael Jennings had earlier been stood down for returning a positive test to performance-enhancing drugs, just hours before the Eels' semi-final against South Sydney.
Jennings denies the allegations.
It also comes just weeks before fellow Dragons player Jack de Belin is set to defend aggravated sexual assault charges levelled against him in a Wollongong court.