Jennings’ application to be registered included a statement of his desire to fulfil his financial obligations to his ex-wife. As reported by this masthead,lawyers acting for Wilden said their client has yet to receive any money from Jennings.

Wildentold theHerald on the weekend:“I think it’s disgraceful that they have allowed this to happen. It’s upsetting as I feel the NRL doesn’t take the safety of women seriously.

“People wonder why people don’t speak up about these types of incidents,it’s because I feel nothing gets done about it in time.”

Roosters teammates insisted Jennings deserves to be acknowledged like any other triple centurion in the game,with Angus Crichton,who did not speak about the claims of sexual and verbal abuse,pointing out that other “people in rugby league who have had similar[drugs] charges” have “been celebrated and put on honour boards”.

The backline reshuffle will bring Jennings into the centres,with Joseph Manu switching to fullback and Connor Watson partnering Luke Keary at the scrumbase. Junior Pauga is in line for a call-up to replace Young on the wing.

Flyer Daniel Tupou played alongside Jennings more than a decade ago during the Roosters 2013 premiership run and believes the 35-year-old deserves acknowledgement if he plays the milestone match on Thursday.

“Whatever outside noise there is,they’ve got their opinion,but it couldn’t happen to a better bloke,” Tupou said.

“I feel like he thoroughly deserves it. Everyone goes through stuff. We’re all human at the end of the day. That’s just my opinion,don’t take it out of context,I feel like he deserves it for what he’s done for the game over all these years.”

Crichton spoke along similar lines after Roosters training,specifically referencing Jennings’ suspension for testing positive to prohibited substances LGD-4033 (Ligandrol) and Ibutamoren. Jennings maintained his innocence but eventually accepted the charges in order to reduce his ban from four years to three.

The former NSW centre was then found to have raped his ex-wife at least four times by a NSW District Court judge on the balance of probability.

Asked about the Jennings milestone,Crichton said:“I think it definitely should be celebrated.

“I don’t know the full details,but from what I’ve seen,he stands by that he actually wasn’t using performance-enhancing drugs. And I think that I believe him and I trust him.

“I think he’s obviously been such a great player in our game for so many games. I think why not celebrate? We’ve got other people in rugby league who have had similar charges and they’ve been celebrated and put up on honour boards.

“Michael Jennings has worked so hard to get back to where he is. I think he should not only be celebrated,but I think he’s deserved it.”

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