Sydney Roosters halfback Sandon Smith will soon tell a court whether he plans to fight allegations he failed to give way in his Audi, causing a pedestrian serious foot injuries in a resulting smash.
The 21-year-old was charged with negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm following an investigation into the three-car smash at exclusive Vaucluse, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, in March.
He did not appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Friday for the first mention of the case, but his lawyer David Newham said the NRL player would enter a plea to the charge in November.
Smith was allegedly driving an Audi sedan and failed to give way while leaving a driveway before the crash, in which a male pedestrian was injured.
The halfback came off the bench for the Roosters four days after the incident, playing 40 minutes in a round-two NRL loss to the Manly Sea Eagles.
The charge is a first offence, carrying a maximum penalty of nine months in prison or a $2200 fine, with a 12-month licence suspension.
The negligence charge means there is no allegation he was speeding or intoxicated at the time.
Smith was charged in September, days out from the Roosters' qualifying-final loss to Penrith.
But the NRL's integrity unit was not informed of the incident until the eve of Smith's court hearing.
The Roosters were also aware of the matter but as of Friday afternoon had not said when they were told about the charge.
The case does not fall under the requirements for the NRL's automatic no-fault stand-down policy.
Smith looms as a crucial part of the Roosters' side for 2025, set to take charge of the team's attack following the departure of veteran playmaker Luke Keary and a long-term injury to regular halfback Sam Walker.
Already backed to start in the halves following Keary's decision to retire from the NRL, his value rose when Walker ruptured his cruciate ligament in August.
Smith was the first player from the club's Central Coast pathways program to play an NRL game for the Roosters when he debuted in June 2023, playing 15 games that year and appearing in 14 more during the 2024 campaign.
