The legal team for former Canberra centre Curtis Scott has slammed the NRL’s decision to ban the 24-year-old from training with Parramatta.
Scott was arrested last week and charged with historical domestic violence offences against his former girlfriend, allegations he denies.
In the wake of those charges the NRL ruled out registering a trial-and-train contract with Parramatta.
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Scott’s lawyer, Sam Macedone, told the Sydney Morning Herald that decision could see the former Melbourne premiership-winning centre sit out the entire season, with the possibility the case won’t go to trial until September.
“We will be vigorously defending the charges,” Macedone said.
“I am going to try and get [a hearing date] a lot earlier. Otherwise, he won’t be playing football this year until this gets sorted out, and he’s done nothing wrong.”
Scott’s manager, Sam Ayoub, also hit out at the NRL over the move to block his deal with Parramatta.
Ayoub told the Herald the NRL took no action when the alleged victim approached the governing body in 2018 with claims of stalking.
A senior police source separately told Wide World of Sports the NRL and its Integrity Unit had “let the alleged victim down very badly” in its handling of the case.
Ayoub said the decision to deny Scott the opportunity to train with the Eels was frustrating given the lack of action four years ago.
“We just have to let the process take its course,” he explained.
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