Scott Bolton has been selected to play in North Queensland's Thursday night NRL fixture, despite being charged with indecent assault following an alleged incident involving a woman at Bondi Beach in Sydney on the weekend.
Police were called to licenced premises on Campbell Parade about 10:50pm on Saturday after a female patron reported she had been indecently assaulted.
The Cowboys forward was arrested at Waverley Police Station on Sunday morning.
Bolton, 30, has been granted conditional bail to appear in Waverley Local Court next month.
The incident is also being investigated by the NRL integrity unit.
An emotional Bolton addressed the media in Townsville on Tuesday, reading from a statement that he would be available to play for the Cowboys while the investigation took place.
He has since been named in the Cowboys' matchday squad to face Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday night.
"I have been approved to play by the NRL and the club during this investigation," Bolton said.
Bolton, who did not take questions from journalists, said he was assisting with the police and NRL investigations during what he described as a "difficult time".
"What I can say is that I am taking this matter very seriously and cooperating fully with both the police and the NRL integrity unit," he said.
Bolton flew back to Townsville on Monday, as his Cowboys teammates remained in Sydney to prepare for the Tigers fixture.
He has played over 200 NRL matches for the Cowboys and was a member of their 2015 premiership squad.
