The ex-girlfriend of Maddie Studdon has been charged with multiple counts of assault against the NRLW player.
It comes after Studdon, who played for St George Illawarra, the Sydney Roosters and Parramatta Eels, avoided jail time earlier this month after she pleaded guilty to domestic violence-related stalking offences against her ex-girlfriend Bree Brown.
However, in a fresh twist to the saga, Brown appeared before Magistrate Scott Nash on Wednesday at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.
Brown pleaded not guilty to two counts of common assault, three counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and a single count of destroying or damaging property. She was initially refused bail by police.
The Magistrate also made an interim apprehended domestic violence order against Brown for Studdon’s protection. The order states that Brown must not contact or approach her former partner.
Brown said on Wednesday that she would be fighting all of the allegations made against her.
‘I will be fighting the charges when my time comes,’ she told News Corp.
The ex-girlfriend of Maddie Studdon has been charged with multiple counts of assault against the NRLW player (Studdon is pictured)
It came after Studdon (pictured outside court) pleaded guilty to domestic violence-related stalking offences against her ex-girlfriend Bree Brown
‘I’m pleading not guilty to all six charges. I will be fighting them all in court.’
Brown will return to court on October 15.
Studdon, who played representative footy for New South Wales and Australia, was sentenced to a two-year intensive correction order and was fined $2200 after pleading guilty to one count of stalk/intimidation with the intention to cause physical harm and a second count of using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend.
The NRLW player, who is currently without a club, was also given a dressing down by Magistrate Megan Greenwood, who said she was fortunate not to be heading to a jail cell.
‘You do this again, that’s where you’re going,’ the Magistrate said.
The halfback had been arrested on January 13 following an incident outside Brown’s home.
The court had heard that Studdon had made allegations that her ex-girlfriend had been unfaithful, but those accusations were unsubstantiated. There is no claim by The Daily Mail that those accusations were correct.
Brown had told Studdon ‘do not message me again’ and had blocked her number and profile on social media.
The former New South Wales halfback then proceeded to contact her via a private phone number, calling her almost 30 times.
Studdon (pictured), who is currently without a club, has played for the Parramatta Eels, Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra Dragons during her career
Bree Brown is not allowed to contact Studdon (pictured) under the terms of an interim apprehended domestic violence order
The court heard that Studdon had allegedly transferred $1 to her ex-girlfriend’s bank account, writing in the description: ‘Check msgs, enjoy the d***. Can stop being suss and own up.
‘You make me go off ’cause of what you’re doing. Didn’t need to use me just so you could see if something else would work.’
While the NRLW player had initially indicated she would fight the charges, Studdon’s lawyer later entered guilty pleas to both charges.
Magistrate Greenwood said that the act was ‘classic controlling behaviour’.
‘No one should ever have to put up with being treated like this,’ Greenwood added, warning Studdon that she was fortunate not to be jailed.
Studdon began her professional rugby league career in 2018, when she signed for the Sydney Roosters.
She’d later join up with St George, before moving to play for Parramatta and Cronulla.
In 2025, it was reported that the New Zealand Warriors had put a hold on an attempt to sign the Aussie halfback. The club had endured a spate of injuries over the season and had been in the market to bolster its playing stocks.
Warriors boss Ron Griffiths revealed to RNZ that the club had spoken about the opportunity to sign Studdon, however, he added that the timing was not right.
‘We’d spoken in the initial instance about possibly bringing her over… but it’s got to be like-for-like positionally,’ he explained.
‘We didn’t mention any names to the NRL, but what circumvented the process in the end was Maddie played for another club.’