Nine cops called in to take down ‘hostile’ NRL legend
“Do you know who I am?”
The well-worn catchphrase about famous people caught in embarrassing situations had little impact before double-code rugby great Wendell Sailor was arrested on a drunken night out.
The former Wallabies player became agitated while talking to another man at Pappy’s Bar in Sydney city center after 8.30pm on November 6, 2024, according to admitted facts in his case.
The bar manager threatened to call the police after the 51-year-old man asked him to leave the bar at least three times due to his level of intoxication.
“Call the cops and see what happens,” Sailor replied, according to court documents.
“Do you know who I am? You’re done.”
According to the admitted facts, police spoke to him outside the bar before spotting the man he accused of trying to fight him and trying to chase him.
Reinforcements have been called in to help arrest the former NRL and rugby union international, who claims his capture was racially motivated.
He was later released on bail with conditions that included a ban on getting drunk in public places.
However, according to the agreed facts, the premiership-winning NRL star ignored the restriction when he went to a sports bar in Wollongong on January 5, 2025, and drank a large amount of alcohol.
After attacking a taxi driver, police were called and found Sailor stumbling and shaking in the middle of the road.
According to the agreed facts, he smelled strongly of alcohol and was slurring his words as he insulted the officers.
Officers called for backup as they tried to arrest the increasingly aggressive former NRL star, who strained his arms to avoid being handcuffed and pushed himself against the car.
He resisted nine police officers before he was eventually taken into custody; The facts acknowledged here show that he continues to be aggressive and hostile.
The 51-year-old man appeared in Sydney Downing Center Local Court on Monday after pleading guilty to ostracism, intimidation and failure to leave premises after resisting police.
His lawyer asked the court to dismiss the charges on mental health grounds, based on the information from the psychiatric report.
If the application is not successful when heard on Friday, the sailor will be punished.
The former rugby star was going through a difficult separation from his wife of almost three decades, a court previously heard.
He represented Australia in rugby league and rugby union, and stood out as the top scorer when the national team won the Rugby League World Cup in 2000.
Sailor also proved to be a prolific goalscorer during his four years of rugby union, making 13 passes in 37 appearances for the Wallabies and making a start in the 2003 World Cup final.
He finished his 222-game NRL career in 2009 after nine seasons with the Brisbane Broncos and two seasons with the St George Illawarra.
