NRL rising star Manase Fainu has denied plunging a steak knife into the back of a church youth leader, saying he backed away from a wild brawl after he heard someone yell “knife, knife”.
Mr Fainu, 24, is standing trial in the Parramatta District Court where he has denied stabbing Faamanu Levi in his back near his shoulder during a bloody brawl outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Wattle Grove on October 25, 2019.
Fainu has pleaded not guilty to one count of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and he on Monday took the witness stand as he fights the allegations.