A former NRL rookie of the year has been jailed after he was busted with a rifle on a public road and throwing rocks at cars.

Controversial rugby league star Chris Sandow was charged with one count each of unlawfully possessing a category H weapon in public, authority required to possess explosives, assaulting and obstructing police officers, two counts of wilful damages and a string of other offences.

The former Parramatta Eels halfback pleaded guilty to all offences when he appeared via video link in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Friday.

The court heard the 36-year-old father-of-six threw rocks at cars passing by a road in Riverview in March, causing damage to two vehicles.

Police responded to complaints and located Sandow with a shortened SAF Lithgow Slazenger .22 bolt action rifle, a large hunting-style knife, .22g of ammunition, methamphetamine, two used glass smoking pipes and empty clip bags.

Sandow resisted arrest, forcing four officers to throw him to the ground. The court heard Sandow struck one of the officers in the chest, during the tussle, causing a body-worn camera and microphone to dislodge.

The court also heard Sandow fuelled up his car at an Annerley service station but left without paying for it. Magistrate Virginia Ellen Sturgess said it was evident that there had been a significant deterioration in Sandow’s behaviour since 2021.

“There’s clearly something that needs to be addressed,” she said.

“Certainly in your background, you’re apparently a very talented footballer in your younger years, and unfortunately, there’s been this deterioration, drugs clearly being part of that.

“It’s clearly a dangerous thing to be out in public with a weapon, and of course, the court treats that very seriously.”