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Former Parramatta centre Michael Jennings.Credit:Getty

It is not as if an NRL comeback will greatly improve Jennings’ financial ability to settle his debts. The former Parramatta and Panthers centre is returning to the Roosters,where he won a premiership in 2013,for a train-and-trial deal worth $1,200 a week. It is a far cry from the $600,000 a year he was earning in his pomp and a sum too small to result in payments to Wilden.

In June 2022,a judge found that Jennings sold three investment properties and paid the proceeds,which exceeded $1.6 million,to a third party.

Jennings played for the Roosters between 2013 and 2015.Credit:Brendan Esposito

“I find that the payment of money to[a third party] was done in order to dissipate or minimise the defendant’s assets in a transparent attempt to avoid satisfying the judgement made in favour of the plaintiff[Wilden],” the judge found.

Jennings’ alleged inability to pay Wilden has drawn further criticism.

“His failure to respect the terms of the judgement is an affront to Kirra and an affront to justice,” said Moya de Luca-Leonard,the solicitor on the record in the personal injury case. “That’s important for the NRL[to acknowledge].”

Asked if it was appropriate for the NRL to register Jennings as a participant given the circumstances,de Luca-Leonard said:“He should be allowed to play in a sense of paying his dues,but also there should be some sort of insistence upon him doing the right thing.

“He is on the wrong side of two judgements,[including] his appeal.”

The NRL on Monday issued a brief statement confirming that Jennings will be “provisionally registered subject to his acceptance of the specific conditions to be imposed on his registration”. This masthead sought further comment from the NRL following the latest developments and also attempted to contact Jennings and the Roosters.

From a purely footballing perspective,reactivating Jennings’ career appears a risk. The 35-year-old played the last of his 298 NRL matches on October 3,2020 and returns to a competition that has sped up significantly during his suspension. Further,he joins a Roosters outfit that already has a surplus of backline stars given Joseph Manu,Joseph Suaalii,Dominic Young,Billy Smith and Daniel Tupou are jockeying for three-quarter positions.

Jennings won’t be the only star returning from a drugs ban.The Bulldogs have handed Bronson Xerri a lifeline,in the form of a two-year deal,after serving a four-year drugs ban. Xerri,at the age of 23,seemingly still has time to fulfil his potential.

The NRL is full of redemption stories,but whether Jennings is one of them remains to be seen.

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