Parramatta’s Kenny Edwards is at risk of missing the Eels’ opening game of the NRL season against Manly on Sunday after pleading guilty to a domestic violence-related common assault.
Edwards copped a six-month good behaviour bond in Parramatta Local Court on Monday, after he admitted to spraying his former partner with water and pouring alcohol on her during an argument last December.
An intimidation charge was withdrawn, while no Apprehended Violence Order was put in place, with Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis labelling the offence “at the lower end of the scale”.
Regardless, Edwards’ matter is still likely to be deliberated upon by the NRL’s integrity unit now that the case has been closed in the courts, just six days out from the club’s first game of 2017.
Edwards could also be stood down until a decision on any potential penalty is made by the NRL.
The incident was said to have happened after an argument, with Edwards spraying the water from a bottle onto Madison Campbell’s face and body.
He then poured an alcoholic beverage on her while she was in bed.
Magistrate Tsavdaridis took into account Edwards’ clean record with the law and said that while he did not want to detract from the seriousness of domestic violence, the nature of the offence was “trivial”.
“This is a young man who needs management and oversight rather than a conviction or punishment in the traditional sense,” he said.
Outside the court, Edwards said he was sorry for his actions.
“It’s obviously a negative for me to be here today,” Edwards said.
“I just want to apologise to my young family, to the club and to the NRL.
“I’m a positive person, I can only move forward from here and I just want to move on with my life.”
Edwards was previously suspended for the duration of the 2015 season after he was discovered to have taken a drug test on behalf of Parramatta teammate Kaysa Pritchard.
However he blossomed in the back row on his return in 2016, playing all matches and acting as a rare shining light in a turbulent year for the Eels.
National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.
