Markets 
Rex Martinich
An NRL star has apologised outside court after copping a fine for drink driving, marking his second off-field incident in months.
Brisbane winger Josiah Karapani, 24, also had his licence suspended after pleading guilty to breaching the zero alcohol limit as a provisional driver following a night of drinking.
Days after his late try kept the Broncos’ title defence hopes alive, a remorseful Karapani fronted Brisbane’s Holland Park Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
He admitted to driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.037 after spending a night at a friend’s place.
“I’m very sorry for my actions,” Karapani told media as he left court.
It was his second off-field indiscretion this season after he was previously stood down by the Broncos for a public nuisance offence in March.
Karapani was intercepted and breath-tested by police while behind the wheel of a silver Hyundai on the Pacific Motorway at MacGregor in Brisbane’s south about 7am on July 28, the police prosecutor said.
He was handed infringement notices for allegedly speeding at 119km/h in a 100km zone.
He was also fined for failing to display P-plates, driving an unregistered vehicle and driving an uninsured vehicle.
Karapani was deeply remorseful after making the mistake of driving the morning after drinking, defence solicitor Abby Hawkins told magistrate Kerrie O’Callaghan.
“He was at a friend’s house, he had consumed alcohol the night prior. He has woken up and he concedes he has miscalculated,” she said.
Hawkins sought a fine and minimum licence disqualification period with no conviction recorded for Karapani, given his youth and lack of a prior traffic or criminal record.
“There is punishment extended beyond the court. There is reputational damage that could be attached to the charge,” Hawkins said.
There will also be a punishment handed down through the NRL Integrity Unit, she said.
A Broncos representative was in court to support Karapani, Hawkins said.
O’Callaghan said she accepted Karapani was remorseful.
“You have made a mistake in miscalculating the timing of alcohol in your system,” she said.
Karapani was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for three months.
O’Callaghan did not record a conviction but warned Karapani the situation could be different if he offended again.
Karapani scored a late try in the Broncos’ 14-12 win over Penrith in Sydney last week to keep Brisbane’s slim premiership defence alive ahead of a trip to Townsville to face North Queensland on Saturday.
The upset win marked Karapani’s first game at NRL level since he was dropped by Brisbane’s leadership group after he was hit with the drink-driving charge.
He was also dropped for the round-five clash with the Gold Coast after he was fined $1001 for a public nuisance offence.
Auckland-born Karapani has played 37 NRL games and scored 17 tries since his 2024 debut, chiming into the Broncos’ premiership success last season.
He is set on representing New Zealand at this year’s Rugby League World Cup after being called into the Kiwis squad in 2025.
AAP
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