A senior coach of the GWS Giants has been fired from his AFL club after undercover cops caught him buying cocaine during a late-night jog.
Robert Chancellor, 31, head of development for the Western Sydney team, was arrested just before 8pm on December 10 outside his Marrickville home after being found with 0.87g of cocaine.
Chancellor moved to Sydney in September to begin his coveted GWS Giants role, but was sacked four months later, just days after Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed he had been charged.
His coaching profile on the GWS Giants website has also disappeared.
The chancellor was due to be sentenced on Tuesday by Newtown local court after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a banned drug last month.
However, the controversial football coach made an attempt to postpone the matter.
GWS Giants Head of Development Robert Chancellor (pictured right) pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine last month
The Chancellor’s attorney appeared on his behalf and asked Magistrate Lisa Stapleton to adjourn the case to allow him to complete the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) program.
According to a NSW government website, the 12-week volunteer program is “aimed at people who are eligible and fit for bail and who are motivated to participate in treatment and rehabilitation.”
Magistrates then consider the progress of the participant’s treatment as part of the final sentencing.
Magistrate Stapleton agreed to the request and moved the case to May 2.
Court documents previously obtained by Daily Mail Australia revealed that officers began tracking the Chancellor last December after seeing him engage in suspicious behavior while jogging down Addison Road at around 7:50pm.
After running for a few blocks, Chancellor pulled up to a black Toyota and leaned against the driver’s window before stuffing something into his front pocket.
The vehicle drove off and Chancellor walked back to his house, where he was stopped by police who told him he was suspected of buying illegal drugs.
According to court documents, the Chancellor then “made a full confession,” took a bag of white powder from his pocket, and told police, “It’s cocaine. I paid $300.”
The chancellor was arrested and the bag of cocaine was seized.
Chancellor began his career as a football technology assistant at Hawthorn before becoming St Kilda’s assistant coach and coach of the Western Jets
Agents searched his phone and found WhatsApp messages between Chancellor and the dealer arranging for the exchange.
The GWS Giants confirmed to Daily Mail Australia last month that they were aware of the charges against Chancellor.
“The GIANTS are incredibly disappointed by Robbie’s actions, which are in no way consistent with our organization’s values and behavior,” said General Manager of Football Jason McCartney.
“Robbie has made a serious mistake and understands that he has let some people down.
“As the matter is still before the courts, the club will not comment further.”
At the time of his arrest, Chancellor had only recently moved to Sydney having joined the club in September, having previously coached Victoria’s Western Jets for two years.
Chancellor’s other notable roles include working as an assistant coach at St Kilda, alongside the Giants’ new head coach, Adam Kingsley.
Chancellor pictured on the pitch with GWS Giants players late last year
Chancellor started his career as a football technology assistant at Hawthorn before coming to Melbourne in 2013.
He started out as the Saints opposition analyst and performance analysis manager before moving into coaching.
In December, the Giants posted a photo on Twitter showing Chancellor next to some of the team’s recent picks, captioning it “the new boys on the block.”
He was alongside some of the team’s recent picks, including Aaron Cadman, Harry Rowston and Darcy Jones.
The signing came as the club underwent a management change in recent months following a difficult 2022 season, winning just 6 games out of 22 and finishing 16th on the ladder.
The changes at the club include the retirement of assistant coaches Steve Johnson and Amon Buchanan, who were ousted in September when Kingsley overhauled his staff.
Johnson, Geelong’s three-time premiership, has returned to Victoria as coach at Ovens and Murray League club Yarrawonga, while former Lions player Buchanan has become development coach for the Sydney Swans.
The Giants went through a coaching shakeup after a poor 2022 season
