Dragons to make call on Amone after he avoids jail time

St George Illawarra and the NRL must now decide if they are going to allow Junior Amone to return to playing in 2024 after the 21-year-old was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalking or intimidation and destroying or damaging property.

Amone, 21, was handed his sentence today: a two-year community corrections order and 300 hours of community service. He has avoided being sentenced to any jail time. The young Dragons player’s father, Talatau Amone, was jailed for two years and six months for the same charges. The pair attacked several tradies with hammers near their home in Warrawong, with the dispute—which started after one tradie parked their car on the nature strip—spilled onto the roof of a nearby house.

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The Dragons are now considering their next course of action, with the club preparing to work with the NRL to decide if any further action needs to be taken against Amone, who was originally stood down in January before returning to play in March.

“The Dragons acknowledge the two-year intensive corrections order that was handed down to player Talatau Amone today,” the club said in a statement. “The club will now work closely with the NRL integrity unit to determine the appropriate next steps. An update will be provided once this process has been completed.”

The NRL also shared a statement, which read: “The NRL integrity unit will now review the proceedings in the Wollongong Local Court following the sentencing of Dragons player, Junior Talatau Amone.”

There’s a chance St George Illawarra pushes for the NRL to be lenient with Amone’s future, especially considering the wraps many in the club have on his playing talents. He has played 54 NRL games since his debut and has represented Tonga. This season just gone he made 19 appearances after being allowed to return under the no-fault rule just before the start of the 2023 campaign.

If Amone is barred from the game or suspended, The Sporting Base understands the Dragons will go into the 2024 NRL season with Kyle Flanagan training to play five-eighth.