Sandon Smith, the Sydney Roosters halfback, is set to enter a plea regarding serious allegations of negligent driving. The 21-year-old faces charges after allegedly failing to give way in his Audi, resulting in serious injuries to a pedestrian in a three-car accident in Vaucluse, Sydney, back in March.
His lawyer announced that Smith will formally respond to the charge in November, although he did not attend the court hearing on Friday. The incident occurred when Smith was leaving a driveway and collided with a male pedestrian.
Despite the incident, Smith played 40 minutes for the Roosters shortly after the crash. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of nine months in prison, a $2,200 fine, and a potential 12-month suspension of his driver’s license. The charge does not involve allegations of speeding or intoxication.
Smith was charged in September, just days before the Roosters’ finals loss, but the NRL’s integrity unit was only informed of the matter right before the court date. The Roosters were aware of the situation but have not disclosed when they learned of the charges.
This case does not trigger the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy, and Smith is seen as a key player for the Roosters in 2025, especially following the retirement of Luke Keary and an injury to regular halfback Sam Walker. Smith debuted for the Roosters in June 2023 and has since become an important member of the team.