Who is Maddie Studdon? NRLW star booked with domestic-violence-related stalking

NRLW star Maddie Studdon has been charged with domestic-violence-related stalking and spent the night in custody at a Sydney police station, reported news.com.au. The former NSW Blues captain and Jillaroos representative appeared via audio-visual link from Surry Hills Police Station at a Sydney bail court on Wednesday morning. Police allege Studdon, who most recently played for the St George Illawarra Dragons, experienced a breakdown in her relationship and sent her former partner a series of abusive messages from January 11.

After being blocked, she is accused of using bank transfer descriptions to continue contacting her ex. Studdon was arrested after allegedly attending her former partner’s Eastlakes home overnight to confront her, prompting police involvement. She has pleaded not guilty on the charges of stalking/intimidation with the intention of fear or physical harm and using carriage service to cause menace. The case will next appear on January 21.

“There appears to be an escalation of obsessive and fixated behaviors on the part of Ms Studdon,” Magistrate Lucas Swan said, while terming the current allegations 'concerning', as quoted by news.com.au.


According to news.com.au, Studdon’s lawyer, Javid Faiz, told the court the 31-year-old had a potential 2026 contract opportunity with the North Queensland Cowboys, which could be jeopardised if she remained in custody. He said her career depended entirely on the NRL, noting she had worked hard to secure professional contracts.

The court also heard Studdon coaches an Illawarra U-19s side. While she did not secure a top-24 contract for the 2025 season, she recently played for the Dragons as an injury replacement in round six. According to foxsports.com.au, the Warriors attempted to sign her as an injury replacement in August, but the NRL rejected the move, ruling it was not a 'like-for-like' signing.