http://www.smh.com.au/leaguehq/articles/2009/04/07/1238869947853.html
Brett Stewart will plead not guilty to raping his teenage neighbour, a court heard today.
Stewart faces charges of sexual intercourse without consent and aggravated assault with an act of indecency.
His lawyer, Ian Byrne, told Manly Local Court today his client would plead not guilty to both charges.
The alleged victim, aged 17, claimed she had been smoking a cigarette outside her home about 8pm on March 6 when Stewart, 24, assaulted her.
The Sea Eagles fullback, who was to have been one of the faces of the NRL's advertising campaign this year, had been celebrating Manly's season launch at the Wharf Bar before the alleged attack.
Stewart is accused of having sexual intercourse with the girl without her consent, knowing she did not consent, and performing an act of indecency that involved forcing his tongue into her mouth, according to court documents.
The alleged victim was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital after neighbours called police, and Stewart was questioned by detectives and released without charge while DNA samples were collected.
He was charged with sexual assault four days later, before the DNA results were returned.
In addition, an AVO was taken out against him, which prevented him from returning to his apartment because of its proximity to the victim's.
Magistrate Margaret Quinn adjourned the matter to May 26 at Downing Centre Local Court.
She also extended the AVO for three months to July 7.
The NRL, which had to modify its advertising campaign at a cost of $1 million, fined Manly $100,000 over its boozy season opening and suspended Stewart for four games for drunken behaviour.
Stewart returns to the team this weekend to play against the Wests Tigers at Brookvale Oval.
Stewart wore a black suit and strode silently into a waiting car after leaving court, where he had not been required to speak. He declined to comment on the charges or his thoughts about this weekend's game.
The Sea Eagles have yet to win a match this season.
He is not a saviour: Hasler
Manly coach Des Hasler says Stewartis not the saviour for the winless NRL premiers as the star fullback prepares to play his first game of the 2009 season.
"He is not the saviour, there are 16 other players partaking in the game as well,'' said Hasler.
"We cannot excuse what we have done. We know what we have to do. We will turn it around.
"He is a fairly influential player, he was the top try scorer last year.
"He's one of the best fullbacks in the world, he's going to be a real advantage for us coming back.''
Hasler says there are several injury concerns ahead of Sunday's game with centres Steve Matai (shoulder) and Jamie Lyon (knee) in doubt as well as Michael Robertson and skipper Matt Orford both carrying niggling injuries.
Hasler will give all of his players until the end of the week to prove their fitness for the game
