League: Stewart charged over sex assault

SYDNEY - Manly will come under further pressure to immediately stand down Brett Stewart after the test star and league poster boy was charged with sexual assault on Tuesday.

Stewart was charged with the sexual assault of a 17-year-old female last Friday and granted bail to appear in Manly court on April 7.

He is the third NRL player over a three-year period to be charged with sexual assault - although the Gold Coast's Anthony Laffranchi (2006) and the New Zealand Warriors' Michael Crockett (2007) were both cleared of the charges.

Manly officials could not be reached for comment on Tuesday night, but had previously said they would reassess Stewart's playing status as the investigation into the alleged incident continued.

Stewart appeared briefly at Dee Why police station this evening and was rushed away out of a side exit in a car driven by coach Des Hasler.

Earlier on Tuesday Hasler named Stewart at fullback for Saturday's season-opening clash with the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium.

It's not known whether Stewart will now play.

The NRL has no ruling or precedent in banning players from taking the field after being charged with a criminal offence, as both Laffranchi and Crockett continued with their clubs until the matters were settled in court.

Manly chief executive Grant Mayer will meet with NRL CEO David Gallop on Wednesday to discuss the club's season launch at the Wharf Bar in Manly last Friday that precluded Stewart's alleged assault.

Stewart's charges come on top of fresh allegations that Test forward Anthony Watmough had punched, not slapped, a club sponsor.

The club sponsor, known as Paul, claimed Watmough punched him after he confronted the player over inappropriate comments made towards his 21-year-old daughter.

"He punched me. It wasn't a slap. It was a punch," Paul told Fairfax radio.

"He was just being ... I don't want to get into the wording. It was not very nice.

"She is a young 21-year-old, very attractive lady and she did not need to be spoken to the way he was speaking to her.

"He was just very rude and that's what sparked me to get up and then he hit me. " Paul said he told Watmough to calm down and sit down but "he just wouldn't take that as an answer".

It is not Watmough's first incident involving a female, he was slapped with an apprehended violence order in June 2007 by his ex-girlfriend.

Watmough's former partner Gillian Rixon had accused him of a string of violent attacks during their seven-year relationship, claims denied by the player.

That AVO was removed four months later as both parties reached a written agreement.

The latest claims further tarnish the Sea Eagles' shattered off- field reputation, with the NRL set to heavily sanction the club in the coming days.

Adding further concern is the admission by club co-owner Max Delmege who said there was "limited" food and an "open bar" at the function and that "in retrospect, I think our events manager picked the wrong venue. " Manly police are continuing to investigate the alleged Watmough assault, and the sponsor has urged the club to punish the 24-year-old for his actions.

"I think there needs to be a little bit of discipline and a little bit of reprimand, otherwise they think they can do whatever they like," he said.

Paul said he would continue to be a supporter and sponsor of the Sea Eagles, but was yet to decide whether to press charges against Watmough.

"I have not even given a formal statement yet. The police want me to. It's just something I have to think about," he said.

"At the end of the day, we'd both had a few drinks.

"I'm not holding any grudge, but I'd just like to set the record straight. "

- AAP