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Friends of Brent Todd say they will stick by their good mate no matter what.
The former Canberra and Kiwis league prop could face up to five years in prison after he last week admitted his part in a fraud case brought by the Serious Fraud Office.
Court documents allege that from early 2000 to late 2004, he and a business partner targeted charity grants to the North Harbour Rugby Football Union, and Touch New Zealand.
Former Kiwi Dean Lonergan has known Todd for 20 years and says his friend has been generous, honest and loyal.
"Of course I'll stick by him. Toddy's a great bloke and he's a good friend of mine," said Lonergan yesterday.
"From my point of view, Brent Todd's never done anything wrong by me and when I've asked him to do things he's done them for me totally free of charge."
Lonergan runs the Fight for Life charity boxing events and says Todd put his hand up to fight in the first event.
What had happened to him was a "travesty," he said.
Todd had been through a hard couple of years but had Lonergan's sympathy "and will always have my friendship".
"I first met Toddy in 1986. He was my roommate on the Kiwi tour to Australia and Papua New Guinea so I spent six weeks in the same room with him. You tend to get to know a bloke pretty well in that amount of time."
The Mad Butcher, Peter Leitch, echoed Lonergan's sentiments.
Leitch has known Todd "for a hundred years" and said he would stick by him - "too bloody right".
"I gave him a reference for his court appearance, no problem at all."
Leitch said Todd had supported Mad Butcher charities on many occasions.
Former Kiwi coach Graham Lowe also said he would stick by Todd.
"Yeah. I mean a friend's a friend no matter what. You don't like seeing anybody getting into trouble. To tell you the truth I haven't spoken to him for a couple of years but he'll always remain a friend of mine."
