Former NRL halfback Chris Sandow has been jailed after pleading guilty to a series of offences in Ipswich Magistrates Court.
The 36-year-old, who played 159 NRL games for South Sydney and Parramatta, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison with a previously suspended 15-month term also activated.
Police alleged Sandow threw rocks at passing cars in Riverview earlier this year, damaging two vehicles, before being arrested with a rifle, hunting knife, ammunition, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
He was also found guilty of assaulting and obstructing police after striking an officer while resisting arrest. Sandow has already spent 179 days in custody and will be eligible for parole in March 2026.
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The court heard of his struggles since leaving professional rugby league, with Magistrate Virginia Sturgess pointing to the serious risks posed by his actions while acknowledging drugs have played a part in his downfall.
Debuting in 2008 for Souths, he played 84 games for the club before signing with Parramatta on a big-money deal, appearing in 75 games for the Eels.
Sandow was once one of the most exciting halfbacks in the competition, with his off-the-cuff play and flair making him a fan favourite and almost a cult hero, particularly at South Sydney.
He was also a prolific goal kicker, with multiple match-winning moments in his NRL highlight reel and the passion and competitive spirit that endeared him to many fans.
While his NRL career ended earlier than expected, he did play two seasons in the English Super League for Warrington where, in his final year in 2016, he scored 12 tries in 24 matches.
His fall from the NRL spotlight to a jail sentence marks a dramatic and sad decline for a player once considered one of the game’s brightest young stars.
At just 36 years of age, had his career played out differently, he could still have been involved in rugby league today.
Unfortunately, mixed form and erratic choices derailed a promising career much earlier than it should have, leaving the diminutive halfback to ponder what might have been.