- Was previously sentenced to jail for assaulting former partner
- Suffered a stroke in his playing days but launched comeback
- Is now facing court again on serious charges
Former NRL and Super League forward Zane Tetevano is facing criminal charges just 12 months after announcing his retirement from rugby league.
The 33-year-old retired from professional rugby league last year after a 13-season career spanning 170 matches.
Now Tetevano is dealing with criminal charges and has been listed on the NSW Court and Tribunal lists for sentencing next month in a Wyong court.
Tetevano is also scheduled to appear the following day over an Apprehended Violence Order.
It comes after Tetevano was sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2017, with a non-parole period of nine months, for a series of violent assaults on his former girlfriend.
He did not serve any jail time on that occasion, though, with the 18 month sentence reduced on appeal.
Zane Tetevano is facing fresh criminal charges just a year after ending a turbulent and controversial rugby league career
The former NRL forward, once jailed for domestic violence, is now listed for sentencing and an AVO hearing
Tetevano suffered a stroke during his Super League stint but made a brief return before signing his final contract with the Bulldogs
The former Newcastle Knights and Manly Sea Eagles forward pleaded guilty to eight charges, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.
The court heard details of repeated attacks in which Tetevano punched, kicked, and intimidated his partner, often while drunk.
Tetevano began his professional rugby league career with the Newcastle Knights in 2011, playing 29 NRL games before his first major controversy.
In 2014, he was sacked by the Knights after being charged and later jailed for a series of violent assaults on his former partner.
Following his release, he rebuilt his career through the NSW Cup before earning a second chance in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters in 2017.
Tetevano was part of the Roosters’ 2018 premiership-winning squad and played 74 games for the club across three seasons.
In 2020, he joined the Penrith Panthers for a one-year stint, appearing in the NRL Grand Final.
He then signed with English Super League side Leeds Rhinos, playing three seasons from 2021 to 2023.
During his time at Leeds, he suffered a stroke in May 2023 caused by a hole in his heart, which required corrective surgery.
Tetevano recovered and briefly returned to training but announced his retirement later that year due to health concerns.
Despite officially retiring, he signed a train-and-trial deal with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2024, aiming to reignite his career.
That contract was his final link to professional rugby league.
