Man Charged Over Death Threats to Newcastle Knights Winger

A 20-year-old man has been charged by New South Wales police for allegedly sending death threats and abusive messages to Newcastle Knights winger James Schiller following the team’s dramatic 26-22 comeback win over Manly in Round 14. The threats, which included messages telling Schiller to 'count your days' and that the sender would 'end your life,' were publicly shared by Schiller and his teammates on Instagram, prompting an investigation by Lake Macquarie detectives and referral to the NRL Integrity Unit. Knights coach Adam O'Brien condemned the abuse, emphasizing the need to protect players who have families and describing the situation as a broader societal problem. The accused was arrested, charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass, or offend, granted conditional bail, and is set to appear in Belmont Local Court on July 30. This marks the second time in 12 months that Schiller has highlighted unacceptable abuse directed at him as a player. The incident has raised concerns about the mental health impact on athletes subjected to online harassment over their performance in the sport.