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Live sport on SN this weekendKiwi NRL star 'moving on' after betting charge dropped
Rex Martinich, AAP • August 6th, 2026 3:20 pm
Brandon Smith | Photo: AAP
NRL hooker Brandon Smith has said he is "satisfied" after prosecutors withdrew an insider-betting charge due to lack of evidence.
But the New Zealander continues to battle an allegation he supplied cocaine to a fellow first-grade player in 2025.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs hooker faced Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday for the update on the two criminal charges against him.
The police prosecutor withdrew the allegation Smith had disclosed inside knowledge of the Souths' starting line-up for his return from injury on July 2, 2025, telling Magistrate Louisa Pink that he would offer "no evidence" for the charge.
Smith's solicitor Paul McGirr spoke outside court and said his client was "satisfied with the result"
Hooker Brandon Smith is back for Souths against Cronulla | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
"This matter should never have seen the light of day," Mr McGirr told media.
"Brandon has asked me to express he just wants to get on with his life, he is playing good football, he is in a good place at the moment."
Mr McGirr said it was unfortunate it had taken a year to get the charge finalised.
Smith's inside knowledge about being moved to the run-on side for the Rabbitohs' clash against Manly was previously alleged to have been shared with an associate, who subsequently placed a bet on the game.
Investigators had obtained messages between Smith and his alleged associate, Ms Pink heard.
"There are screenshots taken of bets being placed ... of $AU200 ($NZ239.50) for Smith for first try at odds of $AU91 ($NZ109), which would have returned over $AU18,000 ($NZ21,559)," the prosecutor said.
Some of Smith's text messages to his alleged associate on the Gold Coast allegedly containing inside information had been received via a mobile phone tower based in NSW, Ms Pink heard.
That tower data created an argument that no offence had been committed in Queensland, the prosecutor said.
Mr McGirr attacked a gambling expert's evidence as "pure speculation" and suggested nothing about publicised player lists had been put forward.
"The brief of evidence ... is extremely poorly prepared given the delay," he told the court.
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Smith was questioned by police in August 2025 when he arrived in Queensland for a match with Gold Coast.
He was released without charge and ran out against the Titans.
The charges against Smith were brought by Taskforce Maxima, which targets criminal gang activity across Queensland.
Mr McGirr sought costs from Queensland Police in court on Thursday, arguing investigators and prosecutors had not acted in good faith.
"Even a junior prosecutor would look at this particular matter and realise there are problems," Mr McGirr said.
"The betting company, being Sportsbet, was not spoken to.
"That was fatal to their case; it could never have succeeded but as late as Friday it was continuing."
Ms Pink briefly adjourned the matter to consider her decision on costs.
Smith, a former Kiwi international, has played 164 games since his 2017 NRL debut.
