Warriors forward Bodene Thompson has moved to "put the facts on the table" after a Penthouse Pet revealed she was impregnated by him during a group sex session the night before a game.
On Tuesday, stripper Belinda Medlyn told The Daily Telegraph she had a series of trysts with Thompson and his teammates, participating in secret sex sessions in team hotels and their private apartments.
She said she fell pregnant to the Warriors forward the night prior to a game against the Canterbury Bulldogs while one of his teammates watched on - and Ms Medlyn gave birth to a son, Hendrix, in May of 2016.
Ms Medlyn claims Thompson, a former NZ Maori representative, hasn't been keeping up with his child support payments.
But Thompson says that's not true, and has now fired back with a claim she threatened to expose him several months ago and has made it difficult for him to form a relationship with their son.
"I am most concerned that these allegations, which occurred many years ago, have been raised so publicly... to the detriment of myself and my child," he said, in a statement given to Australian network Channel 9.
"This story has no benefit except to attempt to smear my reputation. The allegations and the fact that they have been raised so publicly are extremely hurtful to my family and I."
"I hope everyone can appreciate and respect my family's privacy, particularly in light of there being a young child involved in this matter, and my main objective is to protect him from these indelible articles being circulated."
Thompson then rejected Ms Medlyn's accusations that he wasn't contributing enough in child support payments.
"Although I do not wish to give any more oxygen to this story, I believe it is important to put the facts on the table," Thompson said.
"Ms Medlyn approached me in June 2017 threatening that she would expose this story… I was already paying her child support as assessed by the Child Support Agency.
"I love my son and I have been striving to have a relationship with him. Ms Medlyn has made this difficult, however I continue to seek avenues to pursue having a proper relationship with my son.
"I continue to meet all of my financial obligations to my son and work hard to ensure his future."
Thompson is now in a relationship with Kaea Pearce, a dancer in renowned choreographer Parris Goebel's ReQuest crew.
His contract with the Warriors runs through to the end of the 2017 season and has not yet been renewed, the incident casting doubt over his future with the club.
Newshub.
