Inside South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Mad Monday celebrations after NRL grand final loss
South Sydney Rabbitohs players drowned their NRL grand final sorrows in colourful style. EXCLUSIVE PICTURES
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Who says Mad Mondays are dead?
South Sydney players drowned their NRL grand final sorrows in colourful style at the Cali Beach club on the Gold Coast.
With some help from Cali Beach’s entertainers, the Rabbitohs put Sunday’s two-point loss to Penrith Panthers behind them and the smiles soon returned.
Cali Beach is an up-market club spruiked as “the first of its kind in Australia’’ offering “a variety of food, drinks and daily entertainment from the comfort of our poolside daybeds and booth”.
The Rabbitohs started partying at the club about 4pm, with entertainers arriving with vodka on a rocket.
Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell wore matching outfits, while Benji Marshall sipped cocktails in a purple top.
There were no reports of inappropriate behaviour, although some of the images will raise eyebrows.
Forward Jai Arrow was at the centre of the celebrations and was spotted popping champagne and posing behind swimmers.
Arrow spoke earlier this month about why he had put himself on a booze ban after being rubbed out of Origin III for breaching Covid-19 protocols while in Queensland camp.
“I’m feeling much fresher (by not drinking),” Arrow said.
“I suffered the consequences. It is what it is. I’m not one to dwell on it.”
Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly could not be contacted.
The Rabbitohs had earlier held a fan day on the Gold Coast to thank their Queensland supporters for their time north of the border.
Adam Reynolds — dressed in a party shirt and shorts forced the shirts off Cameron Murray and Tom Burgess and threw them into the crowd, much to the delight of the fans.
The club also thanked coach Wayne Bennett, enforcer Jaydn Su’A and star centre Dane Gagai for their time at the club, as they prepare for life at new homes in 2022. Marshall is also likely to retire.
Forward Mark Nicholls pointed to the next wave of talent coming through the club, including fullback Blake Taaffe and hooker Peter Mamouzelos, to keep the Rabbitohs in premiership contention.
“Obviously we have some key players leaving — Wayne, Reyno, Gags (Gagai), Su’A, a few of the other guys in the squad,” Nicholls said.
“Like every team we’ve got a bit of turnover but we’ve got a lot of young guys coming through the club.
“Peter Mamouzelos, we saw Taaffe at the back end what he’s got.
“There’s a lot of young guys who trained over the summer and they’re the future of the club.
“We’ve got a bit of time off now but in a couple months, we’ll try and get back.
“We still have the Ferrari from Taree as well (Mitchell).
“He’s as hungry as ever.”
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Originally published as Inside South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Mad Monday celebrations after NRL grand final loss
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