Ben Roberts-Smith has made a rare public appearance after being granted access to an NRL club's dressing room. The accused war criminal spent time inside the Brisbane Broncos' dressing room following the club's loss to the Dragons on Sunday, as reported by Code Sports.
Personal Invitation from Broncos Staff
Roberts-Smith and his daughters entered the club's inner sanctum after receiving a personal invitation from Adam Walsh, the club's head of wellbeing and education. Walsh served 18 years with the Australian Defence Force before joining the Broncos in 2016. A Brisbane Broncos spokeswoman confirmed that Roberts-Smith was granted clearance to enter the Suncorp Stadium sheds. He was not a guest of the NRL club but watched the game from the Star Lounge corporate facilities before receiving a backstage invitation to the Broncos' dressing room as Walsh's private guest.
Club's Precarious Position
Typically, Walsh and other Broncos staff members would need clearance from club officials before extending private invitations. This incident has left the Broncos in a precarious position, as the club seeks to distance itself from the storm surrounding Roberts-Smith's ongoing court procedures. The mood inside the dressing room was sombre after the reigning premiers slumped to one of their worst defeats of the season.
Roberts-Smith, who is on bail after being charged with five counts of war crime murder, expressed gratitude for the invitation. He told Code Sports, "The Broncos invited my daughters today because of all the things they have been through and we were very grateful."
Connection to Anzac Eve Event
In April, Walsh facilitated a meeting between Broncos players and members of the Australian Defence Force's 7th Brigade ahead of the club's Anzac Eve clash against the Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium. Roberts-Smith's sighting in the Broncos dressing room was a rare public appearance for the 47-year-old.
Background on Roberts-Smith
Australia's most decorated soldier was charged on April 7 with five counts of war crime murder from his time with the Special Air Service Regiment in Afghanistan. He has consistently denied the allegations and took his fight to the High Court, which refused him special leave to appeal. He was arrested by the Australian Federal Police upon arriving in Sydney on a flight from Brisbane with his family last month and has indicated he will fight the charges.
Broncos' Season Struggles
Meanwhile, the Broncos' season is quickly slipping away after four consecutive defeats. Coach Michael Maguire was visibly frustrated as he attempted to explain the team's ongoing form slump, despite the return of powerhouse forward Payne Haas. "Very disappointing. Missed the start and we weren't able to build pressure," Maguire said post-match. "We knew exactly what we were walking into. Had a good prep, but we didn't match their intent, that was the disappointing part. The commitment in areas of our game that we hold pretty high, we didn't hit the mark today. That's something that we as a group, myself, everyone need to find that really quickly because there is a talented team there and we all know that. That's my role now with the senior leaders and everyone involved to find it."
The Dragons' shock 30-26 victory was the club's first win in 295 days.
