NRL player denied bail over dance stabbing

Manly rugby league player Manase Fainu will remain behind bars after he was refused bail over an alleged stabbing at a church dance, with police arguing he's a member of a Pacific Islander criminal group.

The 21-year-old was refused bail by magistrate Joanne Keogh at Liverpool Local Court on Tuesday after he was charged with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, affray and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm in company.

Police documents tendered to the court allege the Sea Eagles hooker is "suspected to be a member of a Pacific Islander criminal group".

It's alleged Fainu used a "dangerous instrument" causing his 24-year-old victim to suffer a punctured lung and stab wound at the church dance in Wattle Grove late on Friday night.

Fainu did not make any admissions but there were independent witnesses to the attack, the documents state.

The rising star presented himself to NSW Police at Liverpool on Tuesday morning.

Police argued if granted bail there was an "unacceptable risk" the 21-year-old would commit a serious offence, endanger the victim, individual or community and interfere with witnesses or evidence.

But his lawyer, Elias Tabchouri, insists Fainu is innocent.

"We are very confident. Our client is innocent of this, there is no two ways about it," he told reporters outside court.

"We'll defend these matters all the way."

Fainu is due back in court in mid-December for a committal hearing where he is scheduled to appear via video link.