Man, 20, charged over alleged death threats to Newcastle Knights player James Schiller
NSW Police have charged a 20-year-old man for allegedly making death threats and sending vile messages to Knights winger James Schiller last week.
Schiller copped a barrage of abuse on his social media following Newcastle's 26-22 golden point victory over the Sea Eagles last week.
Schiller had a mixed performance, committing five errors, missing four tackles, and giving away three penalties but also scored and produced several moments of brilliance in the Knights' comeback win.
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.
But after the Knights' incredible victory, Schiller returned to the dressing room over the moon, only to open his phone to see several vile threats aimed in his direction.
'Count your days c--- I will end your f---ing life,' the private message to Schiller read.
'Doesn't make up for it even though you won … 'Five errors, two penalties, 1 six again and partridge in a pear tree. I hope Dane (Gagai) jams his c--- down your throat and you choke and die.'
The threats directed at Schiller were addressed by Knights coach Adam by O'Brien following the game, who labelled it 'worrying'.
'That is worrying,' O'Brien said.
'I want to protect them … and for him to go through that over a couple of errors … it's a game of footy.
'He's got a family. That's partly the reason why you do want to protect them. 'I think it's a societal problem, isn't it? It's not just football players who are getting that sort of stuff. 'I understand there is some legislation, and I think at the moment it's in the hands of authorities to try and help in this situation with James.
'We need to be able to stop people doing it, change their thought process before doing it.'
Lake Macquarie Detectives launched an investigation into the incident after Schiller was reportedly shaken up by the ordeal.
It led to them arresting and charging a 20-year-old man on Friday.
The man was charged with use of carriage service to menace/harass/offend.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday, July 30.
Police have the authority to charge individuals for threats made through social media and this incident isn't the first of its kind.
In 2021, two men were charged after sending abusive or threatening messages to NRL star Latrell Mitchell on social media.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘I don't feel sorry for Josh': Luc Longley's telling Giddey praise amid $46m NBA call
Australian basketball legend Luc Longley is backing Josh Giddey to prove his doubters wrong and lead the Chicago Bulls back to NBA glory as the young Aussie awaits a monster payday. The 22-year endured a rocky start to his time at the Bulls after being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder last off-season in exchange for defensive stopper Alex Caruso. Watch every game of The NBA Finals LIVE with ESPN on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. But Giddey went on a tear after the All-Star break after Chicago traded Zach Lavine, averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists — a near triple double — in the home stretch of the season. OKC went on to win a league-high 68 regular season games this year after Giddey's departure and the Thunder are currently trailing the Indiana Pacers 2-1 in the NBA Finals as they chase a championship with a formidable roster. But Longley, who was traded to the Bulls and won three championship as the starting centre playing alongside Michael Jordan in the 1990s, said he doesn't feel sorry for Giddey. 'I don't feel a single bit sorry for Josh,' Longley told ahead of the release of his new ESPN x Hahn documentary Lane Violation, which tracks his changing relationship with Andrew Bogut over the course of Bogut's career. Bogut, who won an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors, said the brutal nature of Giddey's benching by the OKC Thunder in last season's playoffs would sting. 'I mean he essentially got benched and was somewhat told that 'we can't win with him in the line-up',' Bogut told 'He's been on record saying he'd rather it happened now than in year seven, eight, nine, ten — and work out the kinks at an earlier age. 'But to some young guys that could derail you, that could mentally screw you.' Longley added about getting traded: 'It does, it motivates a lot of people. Certainly people love a story to rally behind and be motivated by.' Giddey became a near triple double machine in the back-end of the NBA regular season and the Bulls are expected to re-sign him as they are urged to lean into a rebuilding around a young core. 'He's bounced back even better for it and now you know second half of the year for him was phenomenal,' Bogut said. 'Chicago's gonna have to have to pay him, I think. I don't think they have any choice with the way the (salary) cap is.' Giddey and fellow Aussie Dyson Daniels, crowned the NBA's Most Improved Player, are set to receive massive contract extensions this off-season that will rocket the duo to the top of Australia's sporting rich list. Daniels and Giddey, who is a restricted free agent, are tipped to sign long-term extensions worth around US$30 million (A$46 million) per season. 'The money is just absurd,' Giddey's dad Warrick told Code Sports. If the Bulls can trade centre Nicola Vucevic this off-season, it would free up salary cap space to re-sign Giddey and build the team around the Aussie, Coby White, Matas Buzelis and Ayo Dosunmu. The Bulls have been in basketball no-man's land for several years — a regular in the NBA's play-in tournament — not bad enough to land a high draft pick but not good enough to challenge for playoff series wins. Chicago's six NBA championships came during Michael Jordan's time at the Bulls in the 1990s, and apart from Derrick Rose's MVP year and a couple of playoff runs, it's been a lean 27 years since the iconic franchise's last title. But Longley believes Giddey can help the Bulls rebuild and escape the NBA's purgatory in the middle of the standings. 'Yeah, I think his game can help.' Longley said. 'I think he's got a natural charisma that people like.' Longley highlighted Giddey's halfcourt buzzerbeater shot over the outstretched hands of LA Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic as potentially a pivotal moment in the point guard's career. 'I think that shot all by itself drew so much attention to the Bulls,' Longley said. 'For me, it was quite a poignant shot. 'I grew up with his dad playing basketball on national team and living in the Institute of Sport, and even still when I'm in Melbourne, I'm hanging out with his dad. 'So there's the Giddey connection. There's the Bulls connection. There's an Australian over there doing it the NBA. 'Then there's the fact it's over LeBron and Doncic — I particularly like the fact it's over the Lakers. It's just such a great shot. 'With Josh, I hope that they build the right pieces with him and around him. And I do believe in his appetite for it. 'I think he is supremely motivated by things more than money. He is deeply competitive.' The Lane Violation documentary follows the changing relationship between the only two Australian seven-footers to truly dominate in the NBA. When he was taken with the No. 1 pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005, Bogut famously said he was not as slow as Longley and more athletic and competitive. Those comments didn't go down with well with Longley, who told Bogut to 'pull his head in' at the time. The towering centres went on to work together at the Australian Boomers and with the Sydney Kings, where Bogut has moved into an assistant coaching role.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘Gold digger tests': The new way men are tricking women on dates
A growing number of people in the dating world are reporting a troubling new phenomenon known as 'gold digger tests' — deliberate situations where one person gauges the other's financial intentions by unexpectedly making them pay or setting traps to see if they're more interested in money than a genuine connection. Georgina*, 27, from Melbourne, recalls a bizarre experience on a recent date. 'I'd been on a few dates with a guy and things were going okay. He'd cover dinner, I'd grab drinks,' she tells 'But one evening, he invited me out for a casual frozen yoghurt date. When it came time to weigh the yoghurts, he rushed ahead to pay for his while I was still mid-chocolate drizzle. I was shocked, having to awkwardly weigh and pay for mine just moments later, while he hovered next to me. We ate in silence. He acted like nothing had happened and kept asking me out after that. 'He has a good job, so it was honestly so strange to me to do that over a $6 yoghurt.' Her experience is far from unique. Across social media and dating forums, more people are sharing similar stories. One 29-year-old woman detailed her unsettling encounter on Reddit. Set up by a mutual friend, she met a 31-year-old man at a cafe. 'It actually started really well,' she wrote. 'We had a lot in common, great conversation, and I was feeling positive. But when the $100 check arrived, the tone shifted.' She was prepared to split the bill, but was instead handed the entire amount and asked, 'Is it alright if you pay for this?' She said she was caught off guard but, unbothered by the amount, she agreed. 'Right after I paid, he grinned and said, 'Congratulations, you passed the test! You're not a gold digger,'' she recalled. When she probed him about this comment, he admitted he'd been burned before by an ex who expected him to foot every bill. Now, he 'tests' women to ensure they're not after his money. Christine Rafe, sex and relationship expert for Womanizer, sees this trend as symptomatic of broader cultural shifts. 'The rise of 'gold digger tests' reflects the growing gender divide and rhetoric on social media and 'alpha male podcasters' suggesting heterosexual women only want the 'top 10 per cent' of socially, financially and physically attractive men,' she explains. 'This baseless theory, popularised by Andrew Tate and his followers, encourages men to be suspicious of women's intentions, leading them to 'test' financial expectations by making women pay for dates or lying about their jobs to see if they stay interested. This is worsened by increasing rhetoric online and politically advocating a return to traditional gender roles, especially in modern heterosexual relationships.' Georgina believes dating app culture also plays a role. 'I'd estimate some men go on multiple dates a week with different women, and it adds up. The days of dating slowly and investing time in one person are almost gone. So even if a guy earns well, it's hundreds of dollars a week if he pays for every date,' she says. And with the cost of living rising, some men simply aren't willing to cover every bill. The Choosi Swipe Right Report supports this, and found Australians aged 18-49 spend an average of $158 per date, with men estimating $233 and women $101. Nearly three in four (74 per cent) agree dating has become much more expensive than before. Despite these pressures, Ms Rafe warns that financial 'tests' are manipulative and damage trust. 'These behaviours encourage lying and dominance from the very start,' she says. 'When one person sets a trap to see if the other will 'pass', they establish distrust that undermines emotional intimacy and connection.' She emphasises that healthy relationships are built on open communication, which these 'tests' can undermine. There are healthier ways to navigate financial expectations, she explains, such as asking about hobbies, lifestyle, travel plans, values, and how each person prefers to handle bills and shared expenses. 'These conversations give a clearer picture of someone's expectations without manipulation or testing,' she notes. She also encourages self-reflection. 'If you have concerns about expectations or motives in dating, explore them through therapy or journalling to understand where your views on status and money come from, and what a healthy relationship looks like,' she advises. 'When discussing these topics, share your vulnerabilities rather than projecting insecurities onto your date.' If you find yourself 'testing' someone's motives before even meeting, she says you should reflect on whether this suspicion comes from your own experience or unreliable sources. And if you've been on a date where someone set a dishonest 'test' or 'trap', see it as a sign of their emotional immaturity and inability to communicate openly — and move on.
The Australian
2 hours ago
- The Australian
Impressive colt stands up for Phillip Stokes after favourite scratched at Murray Bridge
Trainer Phillip Stokes looks to have a handy colt in his stable following Matahga's impressive victory in the Magic Millions Racing Rewards SA 2YO (1000m) at Murray Bridge. The son of Tivaci showed very little gate speed on debut and it was the case again at start number two after flopping out the back from a wide barrier. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! But with the leading pack going along at a strong tempo, it allowed Matahga to get right into the race and he sprouted wings over the final 200m to steal the victory. Stokes' son, Kerrin, was on course following the victory and was rapt to see Matahga break through at his second race start. 'He's going super,' Stokes, a former A-League player for Melbourne City, said. 'He was very good on debut and he's just a horse that takes a lot of riding to get through his gears. 'Jacob Opperman has had a few sits on him now and knows him well. 'He's a nice horse.' Matahga was an $80,000 purchase for the stable at Karaka in 2024 and he was able to get a fair chunk of that back with the first placed cheque worth $57,250. They will look to notch up a similar result later this month with Stokes earmarking a Listed race for Matahga. 'He's progressive, will go to the Oaklands Plate next and it's exciting,' Stokes said. Stokes initially had the favourite for the race with Ground Control before the horse was scratched. Nothing is wrong with the talented galloper other than giving the indication he had come to the end of his preparation. 'He's just ready for the paddock and was starting to feel the pinch,' Stokes said. 'So he'll have a good spell and come back as a nicer horse.' Meanwhile, trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly went close to winning the two-year-old feature with Mostly For Show. But 35 minutes later saw the duo take out the Racing Rewards 3YO with The Sprinkler. They also trained the third placegetter in the race with the favourite Out Of Square running on well.
