NRL chief with police to witness full extent of Bulldogs’ outrageous behaviour
NSW Police are also investigating former Bulldogs player and serving officer Mitch Newton for his presence at the club’s now-infamous Mad Monday celebrations.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Star player responds to outcry over drunken antics
- Phil Rothfield: NRL needs to come down hard on Dogs
NRL boss Todd Greenberg viewed the CCTV footage of the drunken Mad Monday debauchery which led to police charging two Bulldogs players before the overarching rugby league body handed out the most serious penalty for poor player behaviour in the game’s history.
Greenberg was spotted at The Rocks Police Station yesterday morning where he witnessed the full extent of Canterbury-Bankstown’s post-season blowout prior to whacking the club with a $250,000 fine.
The abhorrent behaviour he saw included a prolonged stint by a player standing naked on a table with other players grabbing at him.
MORE NEWS:
Cop in Vieira crash was chasing driver using mobile
Matty Johns’ NRL finals analysis
The footage was even more damaging than photos first exclusively published by The Daily Telegraph and led to police pressing charges against Adam Elliott and Asipeli Fine.
Elliott and Fine will appear in court next month after they were both charged with wilful and obscene exposure. The maximum sentence is six months jail.
NSW Police are also investigating former Bulldogs player and serving officer Mitch Newton for his presence at the club’s now-infamous Mad Monday celebrations.
Newton, a respected forward for the Canterbury-Bankstown club in the 1990s, was photographed at the celebrations at Harbour View Hotel at The Rocks.
“The NSW Police Force is aware of the officer’s attendance at the venue and his level of involvement in the activities is currently being considered with regard to the code of conduct,” a police spokeswoman.
Players Adam Elliott and Asipeli Fine were each charged by police with wilful and obscene exposure for their behaviour at the event.
Reserve grade player Zac Woolford, who is understood to have grabbed Elliott’s genitalia when he was parading through the Harbour View Hotel in The Rocks, was issued an infringement notice for offensive conduct.
The son of former Canberra Raiders star Simon Woolford was fined $660 and will not have to appear in court.
The host of the event, the Harbour View Hotel — which has held the Bulldogs’ past three Mad Mondays — has been given five penalty notices, two for permitting indecent behaviour and three for permitting intoxication.
Last night the players were fully clothed as they attended the club’s presentation night at Bicentennial Park.
Fine and winger Marcelo Montoya, who was pictured on Monday night throwing up and unconscious, were among the group filing into the Waterview function centre led by coach Dean Pay and other club officials.
Australian Rugby League Chairman Peter Beattie also attended.
It is also understood that while viewing the footage yesterday, Greenberg was frustrated when he saw shots being consumed despite a long stint of drinking. The fear of the footage being publicly leaked contributed to the NRL’s record fine.
It comes as coach Pay and general manager of football Gareth Holmes will be called to front the Bulldogs board and explain why the club-sanctioned event spiralled out of control with the duo — and other staff — in attendance on Monday.
The club hit four players with $60,000 worth of fines including Elliott, Fine (both $25,000 with $10,000 suspended), Woolford and Marcelo Montoya (both $10,000 with $5000 suspended).
Canterbury have already been forced to shell out a seven figure pay-out to axed coach Des Hasler earlier this year while they were fined $15,000 by the NRL for wearing incorrect jerseys during a match against Parramatta in July.
The club was also fined $5000 for comments made by trainer Tony Grimaldi to a referee last month.
Bulldogs chief executive Andrew Hill said the behaviour was “unacceptable”.
“They are all good people that have acted in an immature and juvenile way,” Hill said. “They have accepted responsibility for their actions and apologised to the club.
“In regards to the breach notice handed down by the NRL, while the club is disappointed at the severity of the fine, it accepts the images and behaviours on the day were unacceptable and a poor reflection on the club and the game. It’s fair to say all players are remorseful for their actions.”
However, the Bulldogs are now considering appealing the fine’s severity.
It is understood players were warned about their behaviour by the club prior to the day. The club will now consider scrapping Mad Monday as it undertakes a full review.
“Those who have a profile in 2018 appreciate that (being photographed) comes with the territory,” Hill said.
“We will review our processes. It’s fair to say post-season celebrations like what occurred on Monday will (not) happen again.”