‘Furious and disappointed’: West Coast Eagles has five seven players for a nightclub visit

The West Coast Eagles have fined a group of players for attending a Perth nightclub amid the club’s Covid-19 crisis.

The Eagles are sitting on the bottom of the ladder. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The West Coast Eagles have fined seven players who attended a Perth nightclub while the club was gripped by a Covid crisis $5000 each labelling their actions “irresponsible and disrespectful”.

Coach Adam Simpson was “furious” when it emerged two players had attended the Leederville nightclub following the Eagles humiliating 109-point loss to Richmond.

But since last week the number of players who broke club protocol by going out rose to seven and the club came down hard on them on Monday.

West Coast CEO Trevor Nisbett, who on Monday morning said the players involved were “ashamed and embarrassed” met the playing group and informed them of the penalties.

Defenders Jackson Nelson and Josh Rotham, as well as Jake Waterman, pre-season recruits High Dixon and Patrick Naish, and youngsters Campbell Chesser and Rhett Bazzo were all at the nightclub and copped the penalty, with half to be suspended.

Rotham, Waterman and Naish also played in last week’s loss to Brisbane, while some of the players could not be considered because they entered AFL health and safety protocols.

That forced the Eagles to call up two players, which made the behaviour of the fined players even worse.

“Given the club’s protocols and current circumstances it was irresponsible and disrespectful for those players to attend a nightclub,” Nisbett said.

“After completing our investigation, we have decided to fine each of the players who broke specific club and player guidelines.

“We will continue to educate our players and those who transgressed will now need to regain the trust and respect of their teammates as well as everyone else at the club.

Adam Simpson is furious. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

In a radio interview earlier on Monday, Nisbett said he hoped the players involved would learn from their mistakes.

“I know the other players are really disappointed because they’ve had to be extremely disciplined,” Nisbett told SEN WA.

“We’ve copped the worst of COVID but it doesn’t help if guys are going to go outside guidelines.

“We’ll get them all together ... it will be signed off (on Monday), then have to move forward.

“In normal circumstances some of the guys might have to face a suspension of a week or so but as it stands we aren’t in that position where we can afford to do that and that’s a problem in its own right.

“My expectation is there will be a fine involved and those players will have to cop that sweet.

“The guys are pretty much ashamed and embarrassed of themselves but that doesn’t detract from the fact they did the wrong thing.

Jake Waterman was one of the West Coast players fined. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Last week coach Adam Simpson didn’t hold back his fury at the players after a photo circulated online that showed Rotham and Nelson at the nightclub.

“I am furious and disappointed with the actions of these players,” said Simpson, who is isolating in line with Covid-19 protocols.

A club statement last week also said it was “beyond disappointing” what the players had done.

The Eagles are sitting last on the AFL ladder with just one win for 2022, and face unbeaten premiership favourites Melbourne this weekend.

Originally published as ‘Furious and disappointed’: West Coast Eagles has five seven players for a nightclub visit