NRL star Waqa charged after knife incident

The Sydney Roosters have stood down front-rower Stanley Waqa after he was charged over a knife-wielding incident in which a young woman was wounded in Sydney's east.

Police say Waqa, 21, and a woman were heard arguing inside a unit in Mulwarree Avenue, Randwick, yesterday morning.

During the argument, he allegedly armed himself with a knife and swung at the 20-year-old.

Neighbours called the police who arrested Waqa and later charged him with recklessly wounding another person and granted him conditional bail.

He is expected to appear in Waverley Local Court today.

The woman suffered a laceration to her finger and was treated at the scene before she was taken by ambulance to Prince of Wales Hospital in a stable condition.

The incident continues a horrific year for the Roosters who finished the season as the NRL wooden-spooners and with an even worse off-field record for player behaviour.

Waqa, 21, joins the likes of Willie Mason, Nate Myles, Jake Friend, Anthony Cherrington, Sandor Earl and Setaimata Sa in being reprimanded by the club for off-field troubles in the past 12 months.

"The Sydney Roosters have today stood down front-rower Stanley Waqa after an incident this morning led to him being charged," said the club in a statement.

"Whilst the matter is now under investigation by the Maroubra Police, the club will be taking swift and decisive action when the full facts of the case are known.

"The club will continue to co-operate with the police and at this time there will be no further comment."

Waqa played just nine NRL games for the Roosters in 2009.

Sourced from: The New Zealand Herald (AAP)