Roosters half Sandon Smith to face court over serious driving charge

Rising Roosters star Sandon Smith has been charged with a serious driving offence over a traffic incident at the start of the NRL season in which a pedestrian’s foot was badly injured.

Smith is listed to appear at Downing Centre Local Court for the first time on Friday morning after an incident on March 13 in Vaucluse, from which he was charged with negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Roosters No.7 Sandon Smith will face court on Friday.

Police issued a future court attendance notice in September to Smith, with the Roosters informing the NRL Integrity Unit once that had been served.

NRL sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity given Smith’s case is before the courts, confirmed that the governing body was only recently made aware of the matter.

Sources close to Smith have told this masthead that the Rooster was reversing out of his driveway when his car was hit by another, pushing Smith’s vehicle into a man who sustained “serious foot injuries”.

“About 7.30am on Wednesday 13 March 2024, emergency services were called to Old South Head Road, Vaucluse, following reports of a multi-vehicle crash,” a NSW police statement provided to this masthead read.

“Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command arrived and found an Audi sedan, Toyota SUV and Mazda SUV had collided after the driver of the Audi, a 21-year-old man, allegedly failed to give way.

“NSW Ambulance paramedics treated a 38-year-old man at the scene for serious foot injuries before taking him to St Vincent’s Hospital.

“Following investigations, on Tuesday 10 September 2024, a 21-year-old man was issued a future court attendance notice and charged with negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.”

Smith, 21, is regarded as a key figure at the club after replacing Sam Walker in the halves for their finals tilt.

After being issued with the future court attendance in early September, he played three finals matches for the Roosters before their season ended in a heavy preliminary final loss to Melbourne.

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Smith is not required to appear at Friday’s court mention and is believed to be overseas on an end-of-year holiday given Roosters pre-season training does not begin until November.

The Central Coast product has been pencilled in as a chief playmaker again in 2025 given Walker’s ACL injury will sideline him until midway through next season, and three-time premiership-winner Luke Keary has departed to the Super League.

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