The former partner of NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall says she directly appealed to officials at the Sydney Roosters to take a stand on domestic violence but was advised to keep quiet, a court has heard.

Jessica Peris, the daughter of Federal Labor senator Nova Peris, complained to police in mid-July last year of repeated alleged assaults at the hands of Kenny-Dowall, her former de-facto partner.

Lawyers for the footballer have argued that Ms Peris's complaint was motivated by money and that she only complained to police when she was denied material support.

Kenny-Dowall has pleaded not guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of common assault and several allegations of stalking and intimidating Ms Peris.

The incidents allegedly took place over an eight-month period between October 2014 and June last year.

Ms Peris faced intense cross-examination in the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney during the second day of the footballer's domestic violence trial.

She was questioned for hours by the top Queen's Counsel hired by the Roosters centre, former NSW anti-corruption commissioner Ian Temby.

Mr Temby questioned Ms Peris on the contents of a letter sent to then-CEO of the Roosters, Brian Canavan, in late June last year.

The letter dated June 30, marked private and confidential, was a plea by Ms Peris that the Roosters "take internal actions in a effort to prevent any further domestic violence occurring (whether it be to a future partner of Shaun or any other footballer associated with the club)."

Ms Peris wrote in the letter, which was tendered in court, that she was undecided about whether to report the domestic violence allegations to police.

"Morally I believe that I should, but it puts me in an agonisingly difficult position," it read.

Kenny-Dowall is accused of stalking and assaulting his former girlfriend and destroying her phone. ( AAP: Dean Lewins )

Ms Peris told the court that in the letter she said she had initially reported the domestic violence allegations to a player liaison officer from the Roosters, Cathy King.

"I spoke to Cath from the club ... she advised me to keep this quiet as if I was to report it to police they will leak it to the media," the letter read.

"That made me feel extremely let down and even more vulnerable, frightened and helpless. While I appreciate the club has concerns about its reputation, this must be its secondary concern. Its primary concern should be to any person who is being abused and is subject to domestic violence by a member of its personnel."

Ms Peris warned about adding commentary to answers

Ms Peris faced hours of cross-examination, including over her motivation, for writing the letter, in which she asked the Roosters to provide her with six months accommodation and use of a car, and one month's income.

The Roosters had offered her accommodation for a month and use of a car, an offer that Ms Peris declined before complaining to police in mid-July.

"The truth is, isn't it, that the club had offered you shelter for a month and use of a car for the same period, and as is apparent from this letter, that was not acceptable to you," Mr Temby said.

"You were driving for more, weren't you, on the face of the letter."

Mr Temby suggested it was only after negotiations fell through with the Roosters that Ms Peris complained to police.

"And it's because of that fact that at the end of the day you went to the police," Mr Temby said.

"No, that is not correct sir," Ms Peris said.

Ms Peris faced repeated stern warnings from magistrate Gregory Grogin for adding commentary to her answers while under questioning in the witness box.

The magistrate warned her if it continued her answers would be worth "absolutely nothing".

The court also heard details of intimate text messages exchanged between Ms Peris and Kenny-Dowall as well as abusive SMS exchanges in which the couple hurled obscenities at one another.

Questioning of Ms Peris also centred on a previous relationship in which she pursued a domestic violence complaint against the father of her child.

Mr Temby suggested there were "marked similarities" between the allegations levelled in that case and allegations levelled at Mr Kenny-Dowall.

The case continues.

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