Former Melbourne Storm player Brett Finch has been charged with using a carriage service to transmit, publish or promote child abuse.

Eight men were arrested by detectives from the NSW Police Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad amid investigations into an adult telephone chat service allegedly use to arrange the dissemination of child abuse material and discuss the sexual abuse of children.

Mobile phones and other electronic devices have been seized to undergo forensic analysis.

40-year-old Finch, who also represented NSW at State of Origin level, was arrested in Sans Souci and charged with five counts of transmit, publish or promote child abuse.

Police will allege the men expressed desire to engage in sexual activity with children and attempted to access child abuse material.

He was granted bail to appear in court on January 11.

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