Jack de Belin’s court case could be resolved by Tuesday – and the Parramatta Eels are taking no chances.
The Dragons forward is in Federal Court challenging the league's new no fault stand down that has seen him sidelined so far in 2019.
De Belin is suing the game after being stood down on full pay under the game's controversial policy, unable to play while he defends serious sexual assault charges.
Sporting News contributor Brent Read spoke to Parramatta officials this week, who’ve indicated they’ll beef up security should the NSW Origin forward play in Sunday week’s game against the Eels
“Talking to Parramatta officials late this week, they’ve conceded they’re probably going to need to put extra security on for that game because they’re worried about what sort of reception Jack de Belin will get,” Read told Triple M Saturday NRL.
“There’s a booing controversy in the AFL at the moment – everyone’s going off their head about it – and the fear is that de Belin will get a similar reception in that game.
“The other interesting thing about the new Bankwest Stadium is that when teams run out, there’s a bar under the stadium which the team runs out through the middle of. Obviously, that’s a hairy predicament if you’re Jack de Belin.”
Surely, though, in that area of the stadium – reserved for corporate guests – the punters would be well behaved?
“I went down there before the game last week and there a couple of blokes who were sitting there and sozzled.”
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“You can avoid that tunnel, though. You can go out a different way and I suspect the Dragons - if Jack de Belin is playing – won’t be going out through there,” Read said.
St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor said he'll 'absolutely' pick de Belin in the coming weeks if the suspended forward wins his court case against the NRL.
"What I hope happens is he does win," McGregor said after their round 5 win over Canterbury.
"I don't know too much than you guys (about the case).
"Will I pick Jack? If he's mentally and physically right, absolutely."
