Media not target of vile comments, finds report on Canterbury Bulldogs' Mad Monday farce

CANTERBURY have been fined $30,000 despite an NRL report finding vile Mad Monday comments were not directed at media.

CANTERBURY have been fined $30,000 as a result of their unsavoury Mad Monday celebrations.

The Australian Rugby League Commission has this afternoon released a report on the Bulldogs saga which says the club must donate $30,000 to a charity – despite their investigations supporting claims by the club that some of the comments were not, in fact, directed towards the media.

According to the release – in which ARLC Interim Chief Executive Shane Mattiske also called for Mad Monday to be scrapped – the report found: "Some of the comments reported by the media were incorrectly recounted and should not, on the evidence since provided, be construed as having been directed to the reporters".

The report also found that, irrespective of any arguments as to whether other remarks were directed to the media, the language was unquestionably offensive, loud and threatening.

It also found the club was aware of the presence of media cameras and that there were also hand gestures directed towards the media by those at the club.

Mattiske said the management of the function and the interaction with the media was inappropriate.

“Regardless of arguments about who the statements were directed towards the language used was offensive, threatening and open to interpretation by anyone in hearing range," Mattiske said.

He said clubs needed to look at how they celebrated the end of the rugby league season.

"There is no place for 'mad' behaviour at any level in our game. Calling something ‘Mad Monday’ is almost an excuse to go over the top and it is time for clubs across all levels of the game to seriously review how end of year celebrations are planned."

GALLERY: Canterbury's Mad Monday gets out of control

Sponsor claim: Dogs deserve apology
 
Bulldogs chief executive, Todd Greenberg, said the Bulldogs deeply regretted the damage caused to the club and the game.

"We are the first to admit that we should have handled things better," Greenberg said.

"After completing a thorough investigation, I am now aware of every comment made. I am aware of every person that comments were attributed to and the context in which those comments were made. The players and staff have all been forthcoming with the information and honest in their discussions.

"It is clear that there were a number of inaccuracies in the media reporting but the players are gutted and are deeply concerned that language used within the room has been interpreted as having been directed to the media."

Greenberg said the club would not be singling out any individual over the affair.

"There was a lot of sledging going on between the players and they used language that was inappropriate.

"This is something that the whole club, the players and administration, have to take responsibility for and that is why the whole club will make a contribution to an NRL nominated charity.

"It would not be helpful or fair to single any one name out and it can only produce a result that will be disproportionate with the actions of any individual.

"This is the result of the behaviour of a number of persons not anyone specifically."