The NRL will have to stand Jack de Belin down after the St George Illawarra star refused to take the action himself.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg met with de Belin on Wednesday, hoping to convince the Dragons forward to take the matter out of his hands.
De Belin has been charged with aggravated sexual assault and his immediate playing future will be determined at an ARLC board meeting on Thursday.
De Belin, who has pleaded not guilty to the charge, told Greenberg in no uncertain terms he won’t be standing down.
The incumbent Blues lock has been advised that sitting himself out while his court case is in train could be construed as an assumption of guilt and could prejudice the outcome.
By making the NRL stand him down - rather than doing it himself - de Belin also retains his right to sue the governing body if he is eventually acquitted.
The Dragons have also refused to ban de Belin and are supporting his decision.
That puts the onus back onto the NRL to make a call and it’s expected they will stand him down on Thursday.
Under the current protocols, players are allowed to continue their careers until their court cases have been finalised.
However, Rugby League Central want to stand down players charged with serious offences and will make an ultimate determination on how they proceed on Thursday.
