Former Sydney Swans player and Central Districts Bulldogs recruit Daniel Menzel charged with sexual touching

Police have accused former Swans forward and star SANFL recruit Daniel Menzel of sexual touching without consent over an incident in Sydney last year. A NSW Police spokeswoman confirmed on Wednesday police had charged the 29-year-old over an alleged incident in Bondi late last year. “On April 29 2020, a then aged 28-year-old man was charged with sexually touching another person without consent in relation to an incident at Bondi in November 2019,” the spokeswoman said. “He is next due to appear at Waverley Local Court on Tuesday October 27 2020.” Court records show Menzel was mentioned in Waverley Local Court last Tuesday. His former club was contacted for comment. Sydney had taken on Menzel as a free agent in 2018 but he only played seven games after having groin surgery in the pre-season. The small forward was delisted last year by the Swans before the alleged incident took place when the club decided not to extend his one-year contract. He booted 136 goals in 73 games with the Geelong Cats in Victoria after being drafted in 2010 but his career was plagued by injury including four knee reconstructions. When another AFL opportunity did not present itself, Menzel chose to return to his home state of South Australia to play with the Central District Bulldogs in the SANFL. Bulldogs chief executive Kris Grant had previously said Menzel would add valuable experience to the club. “We’re very, very happy indeed,” Mr Grant said. “He’s pretty close with his family so once his AFL career finished, I had a gut feel he was always going to come home. “He said if nothing came of the draft, he’d be in to see me Monday and that’s what happened. “He made his mind up that he still wanted to play at the highest level. “He’s such a professional and what he brings with him is his experience because he won’t be backward in helping the young blokes.”