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An NRL player has been charged with stalking and assault.

“This is the night that you die.”

This is what NRL footballer Matthew Lodge is alleged to have said to two women as he followed them back to an apartment in New York City on Friday night.

According to a statement by New York Police provided to Fairfax, West Tigers player Lodge allegedly assaulted the apartment owner and damaged his unit.

Lodge was charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, assault and menacing after bystanders called the police.

According to 9news, Lodge was allegedly in New York City following the end of the NRL season.

This is not the first incident of reported assault that Matthew Lodge has been involved in.

According to PedestrianTV, Lodge was stood down from his team West Tigers in August after he was charged with ‘common assault, malicious damage, stalking an intimidation, and being served with a domestic violence order’.

He was also fined $10,000 in January after he was involved in an altercation in Kings Cross.

After the most recent incident in New York, Wests Tigers released a statement that they were terminating Lodge’s contract immediately.

In the statement, Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe said that “This type of behaviour does not fit with the culture we are building at the Club, nor is it to the behavioural standards that we accept.”

Pascoe continued, “Whilst our playing contract obligation to Matthew will be terminated, the Club will continue to offer welfare and counselling options to Matthew to ensure he has the support he needs.”

Meanwhile, Hawthorn Football Club is facing their own controversy after it emerged that two of its players are alleged to have sexually assaulted a 19-year-old girl.

The assault is said to have occurred on October 9th this year, only six days after the team won their premiership Grand Final.

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Top Comments

Step Up. Step In. 9 years ago

Terrifying, disgusting behaviour. It's good to see his club doesn't take his behaviour lightly and is taking a stand against street harassment, intimidation and violence!

https://stepupstepin.wordpr...


Cee 9 years ago

Poor wee knuckle dragging diddums.

Hopefully he'll get wiped from the game at the very least.