After two weeks in prison in the United States, a judge accepted a plea bargain and he was allowed to return to Australia.
He has since, eventually, paid reparations to the victims (the civil lawsuit ordered $1.6 million) and made his return to the NRL in 2018.
Unfortunately with Lodge there's more, as he also pleaded guilty to one count of common assault on his ex-partner in May 2016 and was given a two-year good behaviour bond.
Whether he deserved a chance to play again in the NRL is highly debatable, but the governing body agreed to re-register him and he has become one of the most impressive forwards in the game.
He is exactly what the Warriors lack; a truly dominant prop who has the ability to play for long minutes.
Lodge is averaging almost 150 metres a game from 15 carries, while none of the Warriors' front rowers have reached 100 metres. Lodge is also contributing 25 tackles a match, and at 24 years old, has his best years ahead of him.
But what about New York? What about the assault?
The Warriors are confident those incidents are confined to the past.
Lodge has reportedly been alcohol free for a couple of years and has not had any major transgressions since.
And league is full of redemption stories.
Manu Ma'u played for the Auckland Vulcans after spending 22 months behind bars for his part in a gang brawl as a teenager, and has since played for more than 100 matches for the Eels.
Suaia Matagi played 34 matches for the Warriors across three seasons, a decade after a three-year jail sentence for assault (he served one year before being paroled).
In the more recent past, Russell Packer has played for the Dragons, Tigers and Kiwis after the horrendous assault incident in central Sydney in November 2013, which included stomping on the head of his victim.
Warriors coach Stephen Kearney has carefully rebuilt the culture at Mt Smart and surely won't do anything to risk that.
He will count on the testimony of assistant coach Todd Payten, who spent time with Lodge at the Wests Tigers, and recruitment officer Peter O'Sullivan, whose daughter is Lodge's partner, and the mother of their child.
The Warriors will also hope that life in Auckland's relaxed environment, away from the intense league fish bowls of Sydney and Brisbane, will be ideal for Lodge, and that their fan base and sponsors will accept him in a Warriors jersey.
Lodge's current contract at Red Hill is up at the end of this season, prompting the Warriors' massive offer, though the Broncos remain favourites to retain him.
"I'm interested in improving our list, whoever that might be," said Warriors coach Stephen Kearney when asked about the pursuit of Lodge. "If player X is going to help our list, then we will look at it, definitely [so] potentially I could be interested in Matthew Lodge."
