Retiring NRL player, who was accused of raping his ex-wife, named in Fiji international squad
- The player has been included in the Fiji squad
- He was accused of raping his ex-wife
Rugby league player Michael Jennings, who was accused of raping his ex-wife, has been selected to represent Fiji Bati at the upcoming Pacific Championships.
The 36-year-old, who has played at international level for both Tonga and Australia, will retire at the end of the season having made 307 appearances during his career.
Fiji will take on Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands in the Pacific Bowl later this October, with coach Wise calling up Kativerata Jennings to the squad. Jennings qualifies to play for the national team through Fijian descent.
Huddersfield Giants star Kevin Naiqama has also been recalled to the squad after making his final appearance for Fiji at the 2022 World Cup. Sunia Turuva will also join the squad following his premiership win with Penrith.
It comes after the NRL canceled plans to celebrate Jennings’ 300th first-grade match due to his “past conduct”.
Rugby league player Michael Jennings, who was accused of raping his ex-wife, has been selected to represent Fiji
Former NRL star Jennings is pictured with ex-wife Kirra Wilden (left) at the 2015 Dally M Awards
“Due to past conduct, Michael Jennings will not receive official NRL recognition for his 300th match,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said in a statement earlier this season.
His ex-wife Kirra Wilden had said that the association ‘does not take women’s safety seriously’.
“I think it’s a shame that they let this happen,” Wilden said The Sydney Morning Herald.
“It’s disturbing because I feel like the NRL is not taking women’s safety seriously.”
Despite this, Jennings led the Sydney Roosters out for the milestone match against the Knights earlier this season, only to be left out of the NRL’s retiring players ceremony at last weekend’s grand final.
The controversial star recently returned to rugby league after a three-year doping ban.
While playing for Parramatta in 2020, Jennings was suspended after testing positive for a banned steroid. In 2021, Parramatta terminated the centre’s contract before being given a lifeline by the Roosters.
He would join the squad on a ‘train and trial’ deal before returning to the NRL at the start of the 2024 campaign. He was due to make nine appearances for the Roosters this season.
The NRL had said Jennings would not receive official recognition from the competition for his 300th appearance this season, but he led the Sydney Roosters out in their match against the Knights.
Jennings had denied any wrongdoing after testing positive for the banned substance, but accepted the charges in a bid to have his ban reduced from four to three years.
In December 2021, the former New South Wales State of Origin player was ordered by a NSW court to pay almost $500,000 in damages to his ex-wife, Wilden.
Wilden had sued her former husband in February 2020 for multiple counts of rape during their relationship in 2014 and 2015.
But Jennings was never charged on these allegations. He had also denied sexually assaulting his ex-partner, saying if she had suffered from PTSD he was not the cause.
Jennings’ return to the NRL was subsequently approved by the Integrity Unit.
But Wilden’s lawyers have said she has yet to receive any money from the NRL player following the civil case.
Jennings was also suspended for three years after testing positive for a banned substance
His contract with the Eels was subsequently terminated and he was given a lifeline by the Roosters
“NRL represents our Australian spirit and our international identity,” said Moya de Luca-Leonard, the lawyer in the personal injury case.
“Our football players set standards and must follow the law.”