BRISBANE Lions midfielder Lewis Taylor has been placed on a diversion program by a Victorian court over his involvement in causing more than $10,000 criminal damage.
Taylor, 20, and his childhood friend Geordie Scott Erwin, 20, appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Thursday to plead guilty to charges of criminal damage and theft.
The pair will avoid a criminal conviction if they're of good behavior for 12 months, both donate $500 to the State Emergency Service and each pay $5317.87 in compensation, the Warrnambool Standard reports.
Police alleged the pair were involved in trashing eight vehicles at a yard at Mortlake, where Taylor hails from in Victoria's west, 14 months ago.
The court heard the pair had visited the yard on two occasions in October 2014, the first to find a seatbelt buckle and the second to "have some fun".
They used rocks and poles to smash windows of five trucks, one ute and two cars.
Taylor won the 2014 NAB AFL Rising Star award just weeks before the incident.
He has played 44 games for the Brisbane Lions.
Lions CEO Greg Swann expressed his disappointment on Monday night at Taylor's indiscretion, describing it as a "dumb" act.
The Lions released a statement on Thursday saying they were satisfied that Taylor was 'sorry for his actions'.
"The club acknowledges the punishment handed down by the court and will not be taking any further action in relation to the matter," the statement read.