Brett Stewart
Encyclopedia
Brett Stewart is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer who plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
in the National Rugby League
. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback known for pace and his prolific try-scoring. He has played his entire NRL career for the Sea Eagles, with whom he won the 2008 Premiership. He was charged with sexual assault
in 2009 but found not guilty on 29 September 2010.
' Nathan Merritt
. He currently has the best strike rate for tries versus games in the NRL, taking over from Billy Slater. Stewart is known as the "Try scoring wizard" because of strike rate in NRL games. In his first representative match playing for the Prime Minister's XIII
against Papua New Guinea
, he contributed to Australia's 28–8 win with a try. He made his State of Origin debut in Game 2 of the 2007 series, replacing an injured Anthony Minichiello
at the last moment, and scoring a try. Stewart played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final for Manly against Melbourne Storm but he was knocked out by a fair charge in the early minutes of the 2nd half. Despite this, Stewart was selected as fullback for the Kangaroos
end of season test against New Zealand in Wellington
, contributing with a try in Australia's 58–0 victory.
He played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm
.
In August 2008, Stewart was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
, and in October 2008 he was selected in the final 24-man Australia squad. Stewart withdrew with a shoulder injury before the competition had begun.
Stewart features in the NRL's 2009 television advertising campaign, alongside Greg Inglis
. The campaign was launched in The Domain with Stewart declaring the start of the 101st season of rugby league in Australia.
Stewart played at fullback for the Manly Sea Eagles in the 2011 NRL grand final
, scoring a try in the win over the New Zealand Warriors
.
In round 2 of the 2011 season Brett Stewart was appointed captain for the first time.
. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes
at age 14.
Stewart was voted the "sexiest man in league" in 2007.
He was charged with sexual assault of a 17 year old girl following the Manly season launch in 2009. He was cleared of all charges following a jury trial in September 2010.
Stewart was charged with sexual assault on 10 March 2009. On 7 April 2009, Stewart entered a plea of not guilty to the charges at Manly Local Court and the matter was adjourned until 26 May, on which date Stewart's case was again mentioned in court, although Stewart was not present. The case was further adjourned to 23 June as his lawyer stated that he was still waiting on documents.
When the court reconvened on 23 June 2009, his lawyers requested access to further documents, including psychiatric evaluations, and the matter was adjourned until September. The court met once again on 28 September, and there they found that Stewart had a case to answer. As a result he was ordered to attend a committal hearing in February 2010.
The committal hearing commenced on 4 February 2010, at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court. Stewart was represented by Clive Steirn, with Deputy Chief Magistrate Paul Cloran presiding. He was accompanied by a number of supporters, including his girlfriend Jamie Baker, family members, and Manly coach Des Hasler. His charges are sexual intercourse without consent, involving digital penetration, and assault with an act of indecency.
Stewart continued to strongly deny the allegations, with the hearing temporarily adjourned for one hour while Cloran read evidential documentation. The tendered documentation included medical evidence, psychiatric reports, and statements from the alleged victim and her family. The alleged victim’s former psychiatrist gave evidence for the hearing, these details were suppressed by Cloran.
The hearing was adjourned until 22 March 2010, in order for the alleged victim’s father to give evidence, as he was overseas.
At the opening and closing of his trial jurors were told by the judge that Stewart deserves the presumption of innocence despite the high number of sexual assault cases involving high-profile players that have received media attention in Australia in recent years.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer who plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback known for pace and his prolific try-scoring. He has played his entire NRL career for the Sea Eagles, with whom he won the 2008 Premiership. He was charged with sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
in 2009 but found not guilty on 29 September 2010.
Playing career
Stewart was second on the top try scorer list for the 2006 season, behind the South Sydney RabbitohsSouth Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
' Nathan Merritt
Nathan Merritt
Nathan Merritt is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the National Rugby League. He has also previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. His position of choice is either on the wing or at fullback. Merritt is an Indigenous Australian who...
. He currently has the best strike rate for tries versus games in the NRL, taking over from Billy Slater. Stewart is known as the "Try scoring wizard" because of strike rate in NRL games. In his first representative match playing for the Prime Minister's XIII
Prime Minister's XIII
Prime Minister's XIII or the PM's XIII is the name of a representative rugby league team selected on an annual basis by the Prime Minister of Australia that consists of mainly young Australian players drawn from the National Rugby League competition to take on the Papua New Guinea national rugby...
against Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
, he contributed to Australia's 28–8 win with a try. He made his State of Origin debut in Game 2 of the 2007 series, replacing an injured Anthony Minichiello
Anthony Minichiello
Anthony Minichiello is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who, to date, has played his entire career for the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League. He plays at fullback and on the Wing. Minichiello has represented New South Wales and Australia...
at the last moment, and scoring a try. Stewart played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final for Manly against Melbourne Storm but he was knocked out by a fair charge in the early minutes of the 2nd half. Despite this, Stewart was selected as fullback for the Kangaroos
KangaROOS
KangaROOS are an American brand of sneaker originally produced from 1979 through the 1980s, with a later revival that continues in present. They were notable for having a small zippered pocket on the side of the shoe, large enough for a small amount of loose change, keys, or more recently,...
end of season test against New Zealand in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, contributing with a try in Australia's 58–0 victory.
He played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
.
In August 2008, Stewart was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, and in October 2008 he was selected in the final 24-man Australia squad. Stewart withdrew with a shoulder injury before the competition had begun.
Stewart features in the NRL's 2009 television advertising campaign, alongside Greg Inglis
Greg Inglis
Greg Inglis is an Australian professional rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative outside back, Inglis joined the Rabbitohs in 2011 after much controversy.Inglis is a versatile back, having played in several...
. The campaign was launched in The Domain with Stewart declaring the start of the 101st season of rugby league in Australia.
Stewart played at fullback for the Manly Sea Eagles in the 2011 NRL grand final
2011 NRL Grand Final
The 2011 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the NRL's 2011 Telstra Premiership season. It was played between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the New Zealand Warriors on the afternoon of Sunday, 2 October, and it was the first time the two sides have met in a...
, scoring a try in the win over the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
.
Suspensions
Stewart was charged with sexual assault on 10 March 2009. The NRL said it was "making no judgement" and announced it would suspend the 2009 commercial which featured Stewart until further information became available. Despite the Manly board's decision to select Stewart for round one of the 2009 season, the NRL on 11 March suspended Stewart for the first four rounds for drunkenness, reportedly stating that "its decision to stop Stewart playing was not intended to reflect any judgment regarding the police investigation into the alleged assault."Career highlights
- Junior Club: Wests (Wollongong)
- First Grade Debut: ManlyManly-Warringah Sea EaglesThe Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
v ParramattaParramatta EelsThe Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
at Parramatta Stadium, 6 July 2003 (Rd 17) (Parra 27 Manly 16) - First Grade Record: 127 National Rugby LeagueNational Rugby LeagueThe National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
games, scoring 105 tries - 100th First Grade Game: ManlyManly-Warringah Sea EaglesThe Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
vs Gold CoastGold Coast TitansGold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
at Skilled Park, 4 July 2008 (Rd 17) (Gold Coast 14 Manly 34). Stewart also scored his 79th and 80th try in First Grade Rugby League during the game to take his strike rate to 80%- the best in the competition. - Top Try Scorer for the 2008 NRL Season. Stewart missed three games due to Origin duty but still finished atop the try scoring list with 19 tries from 21 games.
In round 2 of the 2011 season Brett Stewart was appointed captain for the first time.
- 100th First Grade Try. Stewart scored a hat-trick in the Round 9 clash in 2011 against the Raiders, moving his total from 98 to 101 career tries.
Personal life
Stewart is the younger brother of fellow Manly Sea Eagles player Glenn StewartGlenn Stewart
Glenn Stewart is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-row forward, Stewart has played all of his club football to date with Manly,...
. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes
Diabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
at age 14.
Stewart was voted the "sexiest man in league" in 2007.
He was charged with sexual assault of a 17 year old girl following the Manly season launch in 2009. He was cleared of all charges following a jury trial in September 2010.
Sexual assault charges
He was accused of assaulting a 17-year old girl following the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles' season launch on 6 March 2009. Stewart denied the allegation and was granted bail to appear in Manly Local Court on 7 April.Stewart was charged with sexual assault on 10 March 2009. On 7 April 2009, Stewart entered a plea of not guilty to the charges at Manly Local Court and the matter was adjourned until 26 May, on which date Stewart's case was again mentioned in court, although Stewart was not present. The case was further adjourned to 23 June as his lawyer stated that he was still waiting on documents.
When the court reconvened on 23 June 2009, his lawyers requested access to further documents, including psychiatric evaluations, and the matter was adjourned until September. The court met once again on 28 September, and there they found that Stewart had a case to answer. As a result he was ordered to attend a committal hearing in February 2010.
The committal hearing commenced on 4 February 2010, at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court. Stewart was represented by Clive Steirn, with Deputy Chief Magistrate Paul Cloran presiding. He was accompanied by a number of supporters, including his girlfriend Jamie Baker, family members, and Manly coach Des Hasler. His charges are sexual intercourse without consent, involving digital penetration, and assault with an act of indecency.
Stewart continued to strongly deny the allegations, with the hearing temporarily adjourned for one hour while Cloran read evidential documentation. The tendered documentation included medical evidence, psychiatric reports, and statements from the alleged victim and her family. The alleged victim’s former psychiatrist gave evidence for the hearing, these details were suppressed by Cloran.
The hearing was adjourned until 22 March 2010, in order for the alleged victim’s father to give evidence, as he was overseas.
Acquittal
On 22 March 2010 Deputy Chief Magistrate Paul Cloran determined that there was enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial. His trial commenced on Monday 13 September 2010 and concluded on 29 September 2010 with a jury verdict of not guilty.At the opening and closing of his trial jurors were told by the judge that Stewart deserves the presumption of innocence despite the high number of sexual assault cases involving high-profile players that have received media attention in Australia in recent years.