Former Canterbury Bulldogs NRL Player Joel Romelo Facing Charges After Humpty Doo Siege

After leading law enforcement on a perilous pursuit in a stolen vehicle, the police allege that a former football star shut himself up in a property near Humpty Doo for three hours.

A troubled former NRL player who is accused of leading police on a risky car chase before hiding out in a rural home while he was surrounded by guns has been brought before the court on a number of counts.

After a three-hour standoff at Humpty Doo, Joel Romelo, a former player for the Penrith Panthers, Canterbury Bulldogs, and Melbourne Storm, was brought before the Darwin Local Court on Friday charged with driving under the influence, possessing a handgun, and assault.

On Wednesday afternoon, the police are said to have received information that led them to the residence on Woodlands Road where the 34-year-old man was hiding after they had been hunting for him.

The peaceful rural suburban street was blocked off by law enforcement officers from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., during which time they called in property crime detectives from Task Force Trident, police negotiators, and members of the Territory Response Group.

Romelo and Josiah Binsaris, both 24 years old, were caught after a three-hour standoff; they are being held on unrelated charges from the past.

According to the police, Romelo was their primary suspect in a stolen car pursuit.

The 34-year-old was arrested and charged with many traffic violations, including driving without a license, driving recklessly, driving without permission, leading police on a pursuit, disobeying an officer's order, and driving with "calculated to deceive" license plates.

Romelo was charged with violating gun storage regulations and having a handgun in his possession without a valid gun license.

The former football player, who reached a career-high weight of 88 kilograms, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment of serious harm, possession of stolen property, and damage to property.

During the brief hearing that Romelo had in front of Judge Thomasin Opie on Friday, he remained mute as he waited behind the court security screen.

Because he did not submit a request for release on bond, he will continue to be held in detention on remand until his next court appearance on September 29.

Romelo gave a brief nod and a little wave to a young woman who was there in the court gallery to show her support for him as he was informed that he would spend the next two weeks behind bars.