NRL 2021: Dragons players fined $305,000, hit with monster bans
As the embarrassing fallout continues from the Dragons’ Covid cover-up, more details have emerged about what really went on at the party.
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St George Illawarra officials were still in the dark on Monday night over stunning new claims that star forward Jack de Belin was allegedly hiding under the bed when NSW Police turned up to bust up Paul Vaughan’s house party on Saturday night.
As the embarrassing fallout continues from the Dragons’ Covid cover-up that resulted in 13 players copping $1000 fines from the police as well as heavy punishment from the NRL, it is also claimed other players were hiding in other areas of Vaughan’s house when the police arrived.
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This comes amid fresh claims that the NSW Police are now believed to be investigating whether some other players’ wives and partners were at the party as well.
The NRL was not aware of this information. They are of the understanding only Vaughan’s wife, Ellie, was at the house.
It follows neighbours claiming that shortly after police entered the Vaughans home, a number of men and women could be seen “scampering” out a side door and “running” off down the street.
It is then alleged party host Vaughan organised a video hook-up with teammates before being interviewed by the NRL integrity unit.
The players attempted to keep de Belin’s presence at the party hidden during the initial investigations.
He was later interviewed by the NRL integrity unit on Sunday night before contacting police on Monday when he was hit with a $1000 fine.
De Belin is only four matches back in the NRL after the director of public prosecutions dropped sexual assault charges against him.
The Dragons were initially told that de Belin only made a short stop over at the house but it later emerged he was there for a longer period.
De Belin’s agent Steve Gillis said there was no disputing the players got “10 out of 10 for stupidity”.
“I don’t want to say anything on the record other than that I can concur that the players gave very little thought to what they were doing and get 10 out of 10 for stupidity,” Gillis said.
“That is the fact. That is the bottom line. I can’t defend them.
“They know they have stuffed up and they have to get on with it. You have got to own these things.”
It is understood not all players sat in on Vaughan’s video chat but that is the reason why the NRL has come down hardest of all on the former Test prop Vaughan, who was slapped with a huge eight-match suspension as well as a $50,000 fine.
There was growing speculation on Monday night that Vaughan may have played his last game for the club ahead of a showdown with the Dragons board on Tuesday.
De Belin was also slugged with a $42,000 fine and a one-match suspension, while Corey Norman will fork out $50,000 as well as well as a one-match ban.
The rest of the players were also suspended for one match with fines taking into account past indiscretions and varying salaries.
All up, the players will cop a combined $305,000 in fines.
That also includes Blake Lawry ($20,000), Daniel Alvaro ($15,000), Jack Bird ($25,000), Josh Kerr ($18,000), Josh McGuire ($12,000), Kaide Ellis ($5000), Matt Dufty ($23,000), Tyrell Fuimaono ($12,000), Zac Lomax ($31,000) and Gerard Beale – $2000.
The NRL has also made the unprecedented decision to stagger those match suspensions, meaning players serving the one-match suspensions will be split across a minimum of two rounds and a maximum of four.
This will ensure the Dragons have enough players available to field a squad each week, and also minimise damage to fans and the TV broadcasters.
It also could have a greater impact on coach Anthony Griffin’s ability to get the team’s season back on track when they return from the bye round to take on Manly on Friday week.
The Dragons are currently sitting seventh on the NRL ladder but this could leave them severely under strength for the next month at least.
News Corp spoke to Dragons chief executive Ryan Webb to question him about the latest allegations that de Belin was hiding under the bed and he said he was not aware of the claims as of Monday night (after the NRL handed out its punishment).
“I didn’t know that,” Webb said.
“I don’t know what I can say. It is a very strange thing. The whole thing is disappointing and frustrating.
“The fact that it was done in the first place but then the follow on effect on the night and then the following days.
“The whole thing is really frustrating and disappointing. And you have a lot of people outside of these players getting punished as well.”
The NRL investigation also claims “that a number of players gave or were involved in giving misleading information”.
The statement read in part: “The notices allege that all players involved knowingly breached the game’s biosecurity rules by attending the premeditated gathering. They were made aware of the game’s Biosecurity Protocols by the club and admit they knew they were breaching the game’s rules.”
Vaughan was previously sanctioned by the NRL for breaches of the biosecurity rules last year.
NRL Chief Executive Andrew Abdo said the game alleges the players deliberately put at risk the continuity of the competition.
“In our view the actions of the players were deliberate and some of the players withheld key information from the Integrity Unit,’’ he said.
“On the information we have, the players understood the protocols and deliberately chose to ignore them, they chose to risk the continuity of our competition.
“The sanctions handed down today puts every player in the game on notice, particularly repeat offenders — this sort of conduct will not be tolerated.
“There are many people working incredibly hard to keep the competition going — it’s a privilege to play football, not a right. “We’ve made promises to the community and to state governments and we will do everything we can to honour those promises.
“I want to stress that there are almost 900 players and officials following strict biosecurity measures and the overwhelming number are doing the right thing, as they did last year.
“We will continue to work with all clubs and state governments to ensure compliance, the health and safety of the community, our players and officials the continuity of the competition.”
The players have 5 working days to respond to the Breach Notices.
De Belin twist in Dragons’ Covid breach
Jack de Belin is the latest Dragons player to be fined $1000 after being caught out attending the party at the home of teammate Paul Vaughan.
In a concerning twist, sources have revealed the NRL only stumbled upon de Belin’s attendance at the party after previous investigations and interviews with other Dragons players.
Initially the claims were that de Belin only had a brief stopover however further conversations led to the NRL contacting him for a full interview and it was then determined he had stayed at the party for a much longer period.
That interview with the integrity unit occurred on Sunday before de Belin contacted police on Monday.
De Belin was not one of the players initially issued with a $1000 Covid fine.
It has already been alleged neighbours spotted other players doing a runner after police arrived but it is not known when de Belin left the party.
The ARL Commission is expecting the NRL’s final report mid-afternoon on Monday and want the investigation wrapped up by the close of business.
It is safe to assume there is going to be some significant punishment including fines and match suspensions.
Peter V’landys said the brazen Covid breach has the potential to bring the entire game of rugby league to a grinding halt.
The ARL Commission chairman has lashed out at the players who copped a $1000 fine from the NSW Police for attending the barbecue at the home of prop Paul Vaughan on Saturday night.
It is understood Vaughan and his wife Ellie, Corey Norman, Zac Lomax, Josh McGuire, Jack Bird, Kaide Ellis, Blake Lawrie, Matt Dufty, Daniel Alvaro, Tyrell Fuimaono, Gerard Beale and Josh Kerr were the 13 people who received Penalty Infringement Notices from police on Sunday. De Belin was fined by police on Monday.
V’landys would not pre-empt any punishment as he awaits the NRL integrity unit to complete its investigation, as players continued to be interviewed on Sunday night.
But he vowed: “I am frustrated and that will turn to anger if it causes any damage to the game, especially with other state governments.”
And he said it wasn’t just the livelihoods of the players in danger.
“It not only affects their own incomes but it affects the incomes off all their fellow players, and not only their fellow players but the players into the future,” he added.
“Because if the game suffers financially it means that we will have less to pay in the future. What they have to appreciate is they are not only risking themselves. You are risking the whole game and you are risking every other player in the game.”
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said news players had breached the law and the league’s biosecurity rules in such a brazen fashion had left him “gutted”.
The Daily Telegraph understands neighbours called police about 9pm on Saturday to report the party on Wollongong Rd in Shellharbour, at the home of Vaughan, 30.
Moments after officers arrived, neighbours saw a number of people “running” from the home, but Vaughan and five teammates remained inside, while police sources say they found Norman’s wallet sitting on the barbecue, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Under the current Covid restrictions in place, visitors are not allowed to homes across Greater Sydney.
It is also a breach of the NRL’s current Level 4 Biosecurity Protocols which ban players leaving home unless training, playing or “completing an essential household task”, with Abdo saying he and V’landys would now have to consider punishments, which could include large fines or even suspensions.
If all players at the home were made to isolate for 14 days it would severely impact the Dragons’ ability to field a side in their post-bye clash with Manly on July 14, which would be 12 days after the potential breach.
“I am extremely disappointed,” Abdo said.
“There is so much at stake and there are so many people adhering to very, very strict protocols to keep the competition safe and to keep the community safe and to keep the competition going.
“And depending on what the facts are that come out in the investigation, but if it is in fact just a clear breach of our protocols, I am extremely disappointed, frustrated and to be honest, I am gutted”.
Fresh off an extraordinary golden point victory over the New Zealand Warriors on Friday night, the Dragons group is believed to have gathered for a barbecue and to watch the Saturday night NRL games. Eyewitnesses said people began arriving at Vaughan’s home about 3.30pm carrying slabs of beer.
When police knocked on the door more than six hours later it is understood Ellie Vaughan answered, with officers finding her husband inside with Lomax, McGuire, Ellis and Lawrie.
Some in the group are understood to have initially claimed they did not know they had broken any rules.
But neighbours said shortly after police entered a number of men and women could be seen “scampering” out a side door of the home and “running” off down the street.
“It wasn’t like they were playing music or being overly obvious, but as the night wore on they got louder and louder,” one resident said.
“The police arrived some time after 9pm and suddenly there were a lot of people running down the street, scampering out of the house.
“Maybe they were celebrating their great win and it didn’t bother us, but I think people are a little testy at the moment and it was almost as if it’s one rule for NRL players and another rule for the rest of us.”
It’s not Vaughan’s first Covid drama. Last August, he was forced to undergo 14 days in isolation after breaching the NRL’s ‘bubble’ by visiting a café ahead of a Dragons’ game against the Sydney Roosters.
Then coach Paul McGregor called Vaughan’s behaviour “selfish”.
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