Riots in Port Moresby. Image: Youtube
Former South Sydney Rabbitoh, Parramatta Eel and Warrington Wolves halfback, Chris Sandow, has made his return to rugby league after enduring a rocky few months away from the game.Shortly after falling out with his English Super League club last year, he returned to Australia to be by the bedside of his terminally ill uncle. Not long after that he was embroiled in controversy after footage of him emerged taking part in a wild street fight in his hometown of Cherbourg, Queensland.
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On Sunday he began his climb back toward the National Rugby League, turning out for Queensland semi-professional outfit Norths Devils in the In Trust Super Cup. Their opponents were the Papua New Guinea Hunters whose home ground is in Port Moresby, where days earlier buildings were burned and looted as rioting spread throughout the city."It's pretty tough over there. Not many sides have beaten them in Port Moresby. We're only the fourth side that's beaten them there," said Norths Devils CEO, Jamie Douse, shortly after landing in Australia with the team.With Sandow coordinating the attack and his worldclass kicking game nabbing the Devils a pair 40/20s, they cruised to a 32-18 victory. Douse described his performance as "a bit rusty" though said it was expected given Sandow's five months away from the game.During that time Sandow turned his hand to boxing in a charity fight night against former NRL star, Todd 'the bubbler' Carney (the fight was scored a draw). It was less than a month later that he was filmed beating a man in Cherbourg. He escaped a conviction on charges of "being a public nuisance" after agreeing to become a community spokesman for conflict resolution in the town.At his peak Sandow was one of the most exciting and intuitive players in the NRL. Norths Devils CEO, Jamie Douse, says there's little doubt he can get back there. "Definitely mate. He's only 27 or something like that. He's got some footy left in him," he said.The Devils returned from Port Moresby today without incident and said they did not travelling with any additional security measures. "The atmosphere was good. They're great people, they're always smiling. We did a lap of the field after the game so they were happy," said CEO Douse.