NRL 2023: Aaron Woods opens up on Dragons’ drunken 6am scuffle in Mudgee

Former Test prop Aaron Woods has revealed what really happened, when a drunken 6am altercation between two Dragons players ‘escalated’.

Dragons players are in hot water.

A senior St George Illawarra Test player has claimed the boozy 6am altercation between teammates Mikaele Ravalawa and Zane Musgrove “escalated” before the pair was separated.

“It’s probably not a good look from the outside (looking) in,” said Dragons and former Australian front-rower Aaron Woods.

Woods’ comments come after The Daily Telegraph learned the two players will be disciplined and sanctioned - most likely through a fine - but avoid a match suspension.

St George Illawarra’s board held a scheduled board meeting on Tuesday where the drama in Mudgee was discussed.

Ravalawa and new recruit Musgrove engaged in an ugly dust-up after a night of drinking, which started at Kelly’s Irish Pub, following Saturday afternoon’s Charity Shield.

The pair continued drinking - and started wrestling and arguing - back at the team motel, The Winning Post Motor Inn, into Sunday morning before the mood darkened outside guest rooms.

Both players can expected to be sanctioned by the club.

“We had a couple beers out and ended up coming home and a couple of the boys got a little bit rowdy in their hotel room,” Woods told Footy Talk podcast.

Dragons veteran Aaron Woods. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“Some went to bed, some were mucking around and talking in their rooms. It just escalated – a little bit of mucking around and wrestling, which some people can take the wrong way.

“It was a couple of big humans mucking around who had too much beer.

“We were allowed to have a couple of beers because we don’t play for three weeks, our first game is the Sunday of round two.

“So it was probably the first opportunity in a while where we get to sit down and bunker in and if we go out, one in all in, we all stick together.

“It was similar to Latrell (Mitchell) and Jack Wighton (in Canberra), there was no police involvement with us, but just a little bit of an argument with men, a little bit of wrestling happened and then afterwards we were all best mates again.

“I was in bed as I’ve been off the beers for quite a while.

“We haven’t trained yet, we’re in (Wednesday), it’s something we’ll sit down and talk about it and I’m sure the players that have done something wrong will address it to the group.

The Dragons look during the Charity Shield match. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“The game didn’t go the way we played and everyone was quite frustrated. It wasn’t the best weekend for the Dragons. There was no damage, nothing was broken and the next morning, everybody was sweet.”

Saints teammates and club staff interjected and de-escalate the incident although Dragons management is adamant no punches were thrown.

Nine websites on Tuesday carried a story claiming Ravalawa told his family and Dragons officials that he was “too drunk to remember” his scuffle with Musgrove.

The report quoted a source saying: “He (Ravalawa) has said he honestly cannot remember what happened because he was too drunk.”

Sharks veteran Wade Graham added: “The (two) boys will wake up feeling not great with themselves and be pretty embarrassed and they’ll have to front up to the group and explain themselves.

“It’s a high performance environment. You add emotion to it and a couple of beers and sometimes it boils over. The perception isn’t great.”

REVEALED: THE TWO DRAGONS INVESTIGATED OVER DRUNKEN SCUFFLE

— Dean Ritchie, Brent Read, Michael Carayannis, Phil Rothfield

St George Illawarra players Mikaele Ravalawa and Zane Musgrove had to be separated after a “heated exchange” outside the team hotel at 6am in Mudgee.

The Dragons are investigating the latest incident that has continued their horror start to the 2023 season, both on and off the field, for the struggling Saints.

The Daily Telegraph has confirmed it was the winger Ravalawa and new recruit Musgrove who face sanction by the club over their behaviour.

Dragons players were well behaved in public as the club gave them permission to enjoy a few drinks after the Charity Shield loss to South Sydney on Saturday afternoon.

It’s understood the players weren’t given a curfew, but were told to return to the team hotel at a reasonable hour and in a responsible state.

The Dragons are investigating an incident that took place following the Charity Shield match in Mudgee. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

However, once back at The Winning Post Motor Inn, it’s believed some of the players continued drinking well into Sunday morning.

The club has since confirmed two Dragons players engaged in an ugly exchange back at the team motel.

Teammates and club staff felt a need to interject and de-escalate the incident, which allegedly occurred at 6am.

The players had continued drinking at the motel after returning from their night out.

A club spokesman confirmed there was a “verbal disagreement or argument” between the players, but did not release their names.

Sources at the motel and Dragons management claim no punches were thrown.

The drama occurred outside the motel rooms with guests hearing the commotion.

It was described by witnesses as a “heated exchange.”

St George Illawarra management is investigating the drama and the two players can expect sanction.

Club CEO Ryan Webb spoke with The Daily Telegraph on Monday night but preferred not to comment.

St George Illawarra released a statement on Monday night confirming the incident.

“The Dragons are aware of a verbal argument that took place between two players at the team hotel on Sunday morning,” the club said.

“The club regards this behaviour as unacceptable and will now determine whether any disciplinary action is warranted. The club will make no further comment at this time.”

Dragons management has admitted the players’ actions do not meet the behavioural standards set by the club.

The incident took place at The Winning Post Inn in Mudgee.

The club had told the players pre-game that they could have a night out but no curfew was set.

In December, Dragons pair Zac Lomax and Talatau Amone were involved in a training bust-up on the NSW south coast.

The Lomax-Amone drama came during a three-day camp in Mollymook.

At the time, Saints officials played down the scuffle, claiming it was simply “some competitive fire.”

St George Illawarra was defeated 42-24 by Souths in Saturday’s Charity Shield after losing 30-18 to St Helens in week one of the trials.