BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 25: Martin Kennedy of the Broncos runs with the ball during the round 8 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium on April 25, 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Disgraced former rugby league player Martin Kennedy has faced a sentence hearing in Sydney on Thursday, having pleaded guilty to six offences including the exportation of native animals without a permit.

The former Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Rooster prop told the court he had hoped that illegally importing and exporting animals would help in paying off debts to a convicted fraudster.

Kennedy was banned from the NRL in 2016 for almost three years by an anti-doping tribunal, ending his rugby career.

Kennedy, 30, told the Sydney Downing Centre District Court that he was looking to cover a $25,000 debt he owed to friend Neil Simpson, a known bank fraudster who has more recently been involved with illegal trading of exotic animals.

The ex-footballer was caught in 2016 when authorities investigating a wildlife smuggling ring seized several units of live animals, including snapping turtles, sugar gliders and shingleback lizards.

Kennedy opened a snake breeding farm during his playing career but told the court that he "didn't want to" attain the proper permits for exporting some of the animals.

"I didn't feel the need. I disagreed with the strictness of the legislation and didn't think it was warranted," he said.

Kennedy testified that his reasoning behind accepting a loan from Mr Simpson was to assist in paying off "hundreds of thousands" of dollars in legal fees backed up from his anti-doping ban.

Kennedy declared he had not been given money to start a joint-investment into buying and breeding albino snakes, denying Mr Simpson's claims.

"The first I heard of the albino snake breeding program was when the statement was tendered to the court (this year)," he said.

Mr Simpson argued that he had paid Kennedy $109,000 over two instalments to breed exotic wildlife, but had no record of the deal.

Kennedy's hearing will continue Friday with Judge Sean Grant disclosing he plans to sentence the ex-footballer on June 7.

11 COMMENTS

  1. soufffffffs the “TRANSIT LOUNGE” might sign him up next season to cover for George Burgess who can’t wait to get out of the smelly ol rabbit’os barrow.💩🚽🐇🥄🤣😂🤣😂🤣=========💪🐔👍

  2. Funny Martin obviously thought he was above the law. All those head knocks must have caused brain injury.

  3. Why would the pride of the league want him , once your one of uncle nicks boys your always his for life ..

  4. Ahahahahaha😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣👍 Good one dra01, “Pride Of The League” a team with no home groung in their own district, a team that dumped their fans 20kms away to come play in the Western Suburbs of Sydney.

    A team that has won 1 minor Premiership way back in 1989 and couldn’t go on to win the comp, a team that has won 1 comp in the modern day era of 6 tackle rule dating back at its introduction in 1972, A team that in reality has made the semis only 13 times in 47 seasons.

    Good one dra01….🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣💪🐔👉—- your a funny lad. That has made my month. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🎱

  5. souffffffffffffffffffs ….”Pride of the League” 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

  6. A lot like the video man from the Chocolate Soldiers May💪🤣👉—- the way he makes movies I’d say he has had too many head knocks with the little head. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣👍

  7. Apart from this year, WoodChook, the Panthers has had a relative clean record. Can the same said about the rorters?

  8. What a load of RUBBISH. So your saying since 1972 Rugby League as had only 13 good seasons.🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 because that’s how many times souffffffffffffs have made the semi finals in 47 seasons.

    Look here is a stat in 1989 when soofffffffs won the minor premiership the average crowd per game was 11,150 the next season soufffffffffffs came last with the wooden spoon🐇🥄 in 1990 and the average crowd per every game was 12,073

    In 2013 when the Roosters won the comp the average crowd for every game was 16,643 while when soufffffffffs won the next year in 2014 the average crowd by all teams every week was 16,798 almost exactly the same.

    Conclusion. The Myth that when soufffffffs have a good season League in general has a good season is a myth instigated by soufffffffffffffs fans, which is just that A MYTH🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

    If you would like to view FACTS… then check out the link and click on any year, then look at the average crowd at the bottom right hand side of that season. Only FACTS with Woody the Chook💪🐔👍🎱✔

    https://afltables.com/rl/crowds/summary.html

  9. Yes💪🐔👍, but wait there’s more…..Penrith in the early 90’s run amok with the like s of Guyer Izzard and co.

Comments are closed.