Wade Derksen has been convicted of high-range drink-driving and suspended from driving for 12 months, after the Carlton defender pleaded guilty in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old did not appear in person and entered his guilty plea to a single count of high-range drink-driving by telephone, the ABC reported. He was fined $873.
The court heard Derksen was stopped for a random roadside breath test on the Arnhem Highway, south-east of Darwin, in September after a day of drinking and fishing with friends in Kakadu National Park. He returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.174, more than three times the legal limit of 0.05.
Darwin Local Court judge Therese Austin recorded the conviction, imposed the fine and suspended Derksen from driving for 12 months.
What the court heard
Derksen’s lawyer, Duncan McConnel SC, described the Northern Territory-born player as a “hardworking, committed and determined individual” and said his breakout 2026 season, in which he played 15 games for the Blues, was “a remarkable achievement for a young Territorian”.
Read more: Wade Derksen Suspended by Carlton Over Drink-Driving Charge
McConnel told the court his client “doesn’t normally drink” during the football season and had gone home to spend time with family and friends after the season ended.
“He says he seriously underestimated both the impact of what he was drinking, the rate he was drinking and the fact that he was out in the sun,” McConnel said.
“He realises his stupidity, he realises he’s let a lot of people down including his family, his manager and his club.”
Read more: Chris Fagan Joins Carlton as Director of Coaching
Prosecutor Georgia Cooper told the court the penalty should reflect the risks of drink-driving on Northern Territory roads, which have the highest fatality rate in Australia.
“We have some of the most dangerous roads in the country and therefore … any sanction the court imposes should speak to that,” she said.
Carlton’s three-match ban
Carlton suspended Derksen for three matches after the incident in September, a ban that includes all of the club’s pre-season hit-outs, Fox Sports reported. McConnel told the court the club sanction would cost him at least $12,000.
Carlton general manager of football Chris Davies said at the time of the incident that the club was disappointed.
“While we acknowledge the upcoming legal process will carry its own penalty, Wade’s conduct falls well below the standards we expect,” Davies said.
“Wade is fully aware how disappointed we are in what occurred. We will continue to support him throughout this period as he takes full responsibility for his actions.”
More News
