NRL bad boy Brandon Smith took to social media to wish a heartfelt happy birthday to his girlfriend.
In the post, the 29-year-old also made a cheeky admission about how he’s treated her throughout the relationship.
The South Sydney hooker made headlines for all the wrong reasons last year when he was charged with unlawfully supplying Sydney Roosters star Victor Radley with cocaine at Currimundi, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, on June 7.
He also faces a charge of disclosing inside knowledge of the Souths’ starting line-up for his return from injury on July 2.
Smith denies both charges – but risks copping a huge ban from the NRL if found guilty of giving the inside information so an alleged drug dealer could place a bet.
At the start of 2026, Smith revealed he had been alcohol-free for 105 days and is getting counselling for his gambling addiction after a life-changing four-week stay in rehab.
Brandon Smith took to Instagram to wish his girlfriend a heartfelt happy birthday, thanking her for sticking by his side
In the post there was evidence of Smith turning his life around with the pair enjoying a hike
Smith (pictured with partner Isabella Williams) originally got the nickname ‘Hectic Cheese’ as he became known for his hard-drinking, hard-partying lifestyle
In the post on Instagram he wrote, ‘Happy 30th birthday my love, thank you for being my rock and sticking by my side through all the s**t I put you through. Love you.’
And it had certainly been a real rocky road for the man known as ‘Hectic Cheese,’ who seems to have righted the ship to get his career back on track.
‘Over the last three years of not dealing with it the right way, it created this massive snowball effect,’ he said of his hard-partying ways on the Bye Round podcast.
‘It wasn’t until this offseason that I stood back and saw it, and how my life trajectory was going.
‘I don’t know why I’m hiding but I went on a four-week holiday at a rehab facility.
‘It was something I couldn’t more highly recommend for people that are dealing with issues.
‘Mine was mental health, and alcohol, and abuse – of pretty much every nature.
‘What I really learnt in there was that throughout the last five years of my career I had this identity as a party boy … and I sort of played up to that identity and didn’t want to disappoint anyone.
‘When I came out of the facility the whole thing was about re-identifying myself as a professional athlete.
‘I’m not Brandon Smith the party boy, I’m Brandon Smith the rugby league player, the rugby league professional athlete that plays for South Sydney.
‘That was a massive thing that I had to re-convince myself.
After leaving Rehab, Smith spoke about the life-changing experience and the changes he had made to turn his life around
Since leaving rehab, the 29-year-old star says he had stated he was alcohol free for 105 days in January
‘I went there on my own accord. It wasn’t like because I was in trouble and I went and saw the Bunnies and said I’m going to go do this to make my image look good.
‘I went there before anyone knew anything and I later went and revealed it to them [Souths] that I was there.
‘It’s been really impactful. I’m 105 days now, alcohol-free, I’m training really well and doing all the right things off the field.’
Smith also revealed that he is getting help for his gambling problem.
‘I attend AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] meetings and GA [Gamblers Anonymous] meetings.
‘Since I’ve left [rehab] I’ve gone to at least three team functions where all the boys were having a fun time.
‘I managed to do it without alcohol. I’m still an annoying larrikin, a pest of a bloke. I didn’t need alcohol to do all that.’
And his transformation can be seen in the aforementioned Instagram post, with the two of them pictured in front of a stunning backdrop featuring a waterfall.
